Juvenile summary: Bivouac strikes early as Intention stuns in G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes

Cover image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)

Bivouac gets first stakes winner with Intention

Darley’s Bivouac has sired his fist stakes winner with Intention (NZ) causing a big upset in the G2 Wakefield Challenge S. (1100 metres) at Trentham on Saturday.

Trained by Mike Breslin, Intention was sent out a despised outsider in the five-horse field after finishing fourth on debut at Otaki, with Te Akau pair Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel {NZ}) and Marokopa Falls (Hellbent) expected to fight out the finish. However, Intention improved sharply at her second career start and was far too good for her rivals. Jockey Tina Comignaghi took inside runs from the tail of the field before overhauling a game Landlock (Merchant Navy) inside the final 100 metres to win by 0.5l, with a further 1.8l back to the disappointing Marokopa Falls.

“I just decided to line her up without a trial on debut and things didn’t work out that well for her, but she has just done so well since that trial,” Breslin said.

“Her trackwork has been fantastic. I wouldn’t run her in a race like that if I thought she was out of her grade. I was expecting a big run and we got it.

“It is great for Tineke (Balcombe) and InToWin. They bought her for not too much money out of the sales and these types of fillies are what she needs to keep her business going.”

Intention was a NZ$65,000 purchase from Wentwood Grange's draft at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale by trainer Mike Breslin and Tineke Balcombe’s InToWin Syndication. She is the first winner of three foals to race from unraced mare Beela Hudood (Snitzel) who is half-sister to South African Group 2 winner Fursa (Hard Spun). Beela Hudood's 2023 foal by Super Seth unfortunately died and she was due another foal by the Waikato Stud stallion this spring.

Breslin will now plot a path with the daughter of Bivouac towards the lucrative Karaka Millions.

“We’ll take her home now and give her four or five days in the paddock,” Breslin said.

“We’ve got the Karaka Millions as an option now obviously and how we get her there; we’ll just see how she does.”

It’s been a very promising start at stud for former World Champion Sprinter, Bivouac who has now had just three runners for a stakes winner in his first crop.

Bivouac stands at Darley’s Kelvinside at a fee of $55,000 (inc GST).

Icarian Dream puts hand up for Magic Millions after B.J McLachlan Stakes

After an unlucky last couple of starts down south Icarian Dream (Blue Point {Ire}) scored a deserved win in the G3 B.J McLachlan S. at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Trained by Ciaron Maher, Icarian Dream had been hampered and squeezed at crucial stages during her past two starts in Sydney. She finished a luckless fourth in the G3 Golden Gift (1100 metres) when beaten just 1l by the talented North England (Farnan) before losing momentum when attempting to take a gap last start, finishing just 0.2l from the winner The Playwright (Written By) at Rosehill.

A perfect ride from Jason Collett delivered the daughter of Blue Point (Ire) a deserving stakes win and put her right in contention for the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Settling wide with cover midfield, Collett eased Icarian Dream to the centre of the track, with no chance of running into any traffic, and the filly let down powerfully to win by 1.5l.

“She has done well,” Collett said.

“Her turn of foot was electric. She came at them so quick. It’s a very long straight for a 2-year-old, especially when you are right in the middle but no, it was pretty easy. Very easy.”

“She looks like she has grown up a little since last time a rode her but she’s not very big at all so what she is doing now is very good from her.

“Credit to Ciaron (Maher). She was in the first 2-year-old trials and she has continued to race through and if anything she is thriving.”

The impressive victory has prompted bookmakers to move the daughter of Blue Point onto the second line of betting for the $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200 metres) on January 11 at the Gold Coast.

Icarian Dream was a $300,000 purchase for Ciaron Maher Bloodstock at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when offered by Sledmere Stud.

Gallery: Images courtesy of Trackside Photography

Icarian Dream is the first winner from two to race from winning mare Teebo (Stryker), a half-sister to the stakes-placed winners Time After Time (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Coming Back (High Chaparral {Ire}). Her grandam is the G1 ARC Railway H. winner Recurring (NZ) (Pentire {GB}).

Unfortunately, Teebo has missed the past two seasons to Toronado (Ire).

Pallaton shakes up Golden Slipper markets

An extremely impressive debut performance in the opening juvenile event at Randwick on Saturday has put the Michael Freedman-trained Pallaton (Wootton Bassett {GB}) atop Golden Slipper markets.

Pallaton jumped just fairly but mustered quickly under Tommy Berry to immediately find the rail and a stalking position just behind the leaders Albany Road (Exceed And Excel) and race favourite Chergui (Frosted {USA}). Upon entering the straight, the regally bred Chergui immediately strode to the lead however Pallaton had his back and swiftly sailed straight on by at the furlong for a commanding 2.8l win over the 1000 metres, with a further 0.7l back to Wisnierska (Anders) in third.

Bookmakers immediately reacted, marking Pallaton equal favourite for the G1 Golden Slipper (1200 metres), alongside G3 Gimcrack S. winner Bel Merci (Extreme Choice).

“We’ve had a good opinion of him for a while and he’s has been very professional right from the first day we got him in,” said Michael Freedman.

“He has a great temperament, just the perfect 2-year-old type and I worked him with an older horse earlier this week and he more than held his own and I thought if he brings that to the races you will see the best of him.”

Freedman will now consider the future for the exciting son of Wootton Bassett (GB), a stallion he highly values. However, he will first give the colt a 10-day break before planning for the Autumn.

“We have a few at home and they have a terrific constitution and great temperament,” Freedman said.

“I said to someone earlier in the week they remind me of back in the day with the Danehills, they had that relaxed and laid-back temperament and there is a bit of that talk around with a few of the other trainers saying the same thing.”

Gallery: Images courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

Pallaton became the first Australian 2-year-old winner for Wootton Bassett who has recently returned to Ireland after completing his fourth season at stud in Australia. If his 2-year-old record in Europe is anything to go by, it will be the first of many for the Coolmore stallion who has incredibly sired 42 juvenile winners overseas. He is set to make a significant impact at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where 30 yearlings will go under the hammer.

A homebred for Anthony Gow Gates, Pallaton became the fifth winner from the stakes-winning mare Anevay (Exceed and Excel) who is a half-sister to Group 2-winning sire Krupt and dam of recent stakes winner Poifect (Pierro), Without Exception (Flying Spur).

Anevay has a yearling colt by Smart Missile and after having a year off is now in foal to Home Affairs.

Castle Road remains unbeaten on raw ability

Castle Road (Safeguard) was sent out at prohibitive-odds favourite and gave no cause for concern, finding the front early and racing away to remain unbeaten in the opening 2-year-old event over 1000 metres at Ascot on Saturday.

After stepping slightly slowly away, Castle Road quickly charged to the lead and kept on running. Free-wheeling into the straight, jockey Craig Staples let him slide further ahead, nudging him along late to keep his mind on the job. The son of Safeguard bolted in to make it two starts for two wins, scoring by almost 4l. However, Staples believes there is still plenty of improvement to come.

“I don’t have much control, he’s a bit of a free runner,” Staples said.

“He’s very flighty, my wife still rides him every day, I haven’t ridden him since I won on him. He likes to run, and you can see that. I’m just a passenger at the moment.

“He actually got going faster when I tried to get him to relax. And even on turn last start when he wanted to run off, I tried to pull him in he wanted to run out more. So, today was all about giving him more reign so it will be interesting when he does get behind one.

“But I have to say, his manners before the race and after the race were 10 times better today, so I’m hoping that his manners in the race will get better. Even though he is winning, to be really good you have to do things right mid-race too.”

Gallery: Images courtesy of Western Racepix

Castle Road is the ninth winner from nine to race from stakes-placed mare Clarecastle (Tribu). It’s a family of 2-year-old stakes performers in Western Australia, with Castle Road being a full brother to stakes performers Specialism and More Special, as well as a half-brother to Royal Strata (Stratum).