Bivouac impresses Bowman in latest trial

Godolphin star Bivouac indicated he is ready for a return to business with a “superb” trial against a star-studded line up at Randwick.

Partnered by Hugh Bowman, the dual Group One winner jumped nicely to trail Mizzy before responding strongly inside the 300m to power away for a commanding two-length win.

He stopped the clock at 1:03.63 and his final split of 33.59 seconds was the fastest 600m sectional recorded over the seven 1050m heats.

He defeated a field which included stakes performers Libertini, Probabeel and Star Of The Seas.

“They went quite steady in the trial and Hughie kept him in his rhythm before doing a bit of work to the line, which he needed,” stable representative Darren Beadman told Sky Thoroughbred Central.

“When Hugh drops the word “superb” you know they have gone alright.

“He’s a much stronger horse than last preparation. He was like a teenager when he won the Group One Newmarket but he’s turned into a young man now with that little bit of time off over the winter.

“He had that one trial at Hawkesbury where he had a nice blow but his recovery was much better today and we are looking for a good campaign ahead.”

Bivouac is scheduled to resume in the Group Two The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on September 19 before the Godolphin team make a decision on where he heads.

Godolphin has yet to announce who will represent their slot in Australia’s richest race The Everest but their stable star, who is $15 and on the fourth line of betting with TAB fixed odds, currently looks their best chance to compete for the $15 million purse.

Star Of The Seas ran a nice fourth behind Bivouac in the trial and the Winx Stakes runner-up is nominated for the Group Two Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday where he has been allotted the 59kg top weight.

The first of the new-season two-year-old trials were also held on Tuesday with both heats being taken out by Lee Curtis-trained youngsters.

I Love Lucy, a flashy daughter of exciting Japanese first-season shuttle sire Maurice, led all the way to take out the first of the two juvenile heats.

Avaricious, who is also by a first season sire in Extreme Choice, proved too sharp in the other trial.

Both fillies look forward types and are likely prospects for the early two-year-old races.