Benbatl set for G2 return; stern test awaits Bivouac at Golden Rose

International standard-bearer Benbatl drops down in class and trip as he starts his 2019 campaign in the G2 Joel Stakes over a mile at Newmarket on Friday.

The five-year-old makes his first appearance since finishing a fine second in the 10-furlong G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, Australia, in October, when he went down by two lengths to legendary mare Winx.

Benbatl had previously gamely edged out Blair House to capture the Caulfield Stakes, also over a mile and a quarter in October, at Caulfield, Australia – one of three G1 victories in 2018 for the Saeed bin Suroor-trained horse.

The Dubawi entire recorded impressive wins under Oisin Murphy, who takes the ride again, in the G1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis over a mile and a quarter at Munich, Germany, in July and the nine-furlong G1 Dubai Turf on Dubai World Cup Night at Meydan, UAE, in March.

Benbatl’s six rivals include G1 St James’s Palace Stakes runner-up King Of Comedy, dual G3 scorer Zaaki and UAE Jewel, who is unbeaten in two starts.

Saeed Bin Suroor said: “We gave Benbatl a long break following a busy season last year but I have been very happy with his work recently.

“We are starting him off over a mile but he should be fine over the distance and we are looking to see another good result from him.”

Friday’s card at Newmarket also features the 12-furlong Listed Godolphin Stakes, which features G2 victor Loxley (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) and Mountain Hunter (Saeed Bin Suroor/Oisin Murphy), who won two handicaps at this year’s Dubai World Cup Carnival.

Richmond Avenue (Andre Fabre/Mickael Barzalona) was a staying-on second in the mile Listed Prix de la Cochere at Longchamp, France, earlier this month and the four-year-old filly remains over the same distance in the Listed Rosemary Stakes.

Meanwhile, the opportunity to assert himself as Sydney’s best three-year-old colt is on the line for Bivouac when he runs in Saturday’s G1 Golden Rose at Rosehill.

A member of last season’s vintage crop of Godolphin juveniles, Bivouac (Hugh Bowman) resumed in fine style in the G3 Vain Stakes at Caulfield last month before finishing second on a heavy track in the G3 San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill.

But the colt put the record straight at his only run since with a stunning victory in the G2 Run To The Rose.

In the mind of trainer James Cummings, that win announced Bivouac as a worthy successor to the Godolphin colts, and now Darley stallions, Exosphere and Astern whose Golden Rose wins earned them top billing among their generation.

“This race gives Bivouac the opportunity to prove himself the best colt in Sydney,” Cummings said.

“He beat himself in the San Domenico and then showed his right form last start. But that win was less about redeeming himself than about advancing himself.”

“He had already shown he was a superior colt in his two-year-old campaign. There has got to be something said about the quality he has shown.”

Bivouac is confronted by seven quality rivals on Saturday, including the highly-ranked Castelvecchio and the San Domenico winner Exceedance.

Also at Rosehill, the lightly raced colt Sepoy colt Subedar (Kerrin McEvoy) will be out to establish himself as a future G1 contender when he runs in the G3 Gloaming Stakes.

After beginning his career with consecutive wins, Subedar suffered a lapse in form when a lacklustre fifth in the G3 Ming Dynasty Stakes last month, only to put himself back on track next time out when second in the Listed Dulcify Stakes. That effort has encouraged Cummings to proceed toward a G1 goal.

“His last run confirmed our belief in the horse,” the trainer said.

“This race is generally regarded as a lead up to the Spring Champion Stakes and we’ll have a better feeling about where we stand after he runs here.”

The Rosehill Stakes team is completed by another son of Sepoy, Pandemic (Hugh Bowman), who is looking to rediscover the form that earned him victories at his first two starts when he runs in the Listed Heritage Stakes.