Trainer Chris Waller is opting for a fitness-focused preparation rather than a rested approach as he strategises Beiwacht’s path towards a significant Group 1 double.
The multiple Group 1 victor has returned to Sydney after finishing outside the top three in the Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on September 27 and is scheduled to compete in Saturday’s Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick.
While Waller and the Godolphin owners considered the possibility of bypassing the Silver Eagle and heading straight for the Golden Eagle (1500m) on October 31, the prevailing view was that an intervening run would be more advantageous for Beiwacht.
“The Golden Eagle is his target race, and we thought, do we go into that race fresh, or do we give him a run in between?” Waller explained. “We went with this race because he’s going to need to be rock-hard fit for the 1500 in two weeks’ time.”
Having secured a dominant win in last year’s Golden Rose (1400m), Beiwacht is on a spring campaign aiming to achieve a notable feat: becoming the first horse to win the three-year-old classic and subsequently claim the Golden Eagle (1500m) in the following season.
His immediate focus, however, is on the Randwick race this Saturday. He is expected to be a strong contender, currently listed as the $3.20 second favourite behind the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Skyhook ($2.70), who is seeking his fourth consecutive win.
The Silver Eagle, however, is not a contest limited to just two horses, featuring a competitive field that includes Attica, Apocalyptic, and the promising trio of Decorum, Night Agent, and Plaintiff.
“Skyhook is a damn good horse. It won’t be an easy run, and there are a few others in it too,” Waller commented. “It just shows how these pop-up races can really develop into something. The Silver Eagle worth $1 million is massive and obviously it targets (horses going) into the Golden Eagle. Like the Five Diamonds Prelude next week is worth $1 million and that goes into a $2 million race for five-year-olds. It really is a big thing for the participants, and if we get behind it and build these fields as we are, it will just continue to grow.”
Beiwacht and Skyhook are both highly regarded in the Golden Eagle betting markets, priced at $6 and $8 respectively, with Sheza Alibi the $1.80 favourite.
Explore the betting markets for the Silver Eagle at your preferred online bookmakers.