The Silver Slipper Stakes was expected to bring clarity to the Golden Slipper picture, but James Cummings and Adam Hyeronimus took the opportunity to thrust Beiwacht into contention with an emphatic win at Rosehill.
Race favourite Wodeton had a tough run, forced to travel three-wide from barrier nine for most of the 1100-metre Group 2 contest. Despite the challenging trip, the $2.20 favorite battled on under Kerrin McEvoy, finishing third by a short neck behind West Of Swindon ($9.50), who secured second place.
With second-favorite Bel Merci ($3.20) delivering a below-par performance, finishing second last, Beiwacht took full advantage. The son of three-time Group 1 winner Bivouac surged home for a dominant 2¾-length victory, cementing his Golden Slipper credentials just one month before the $5 million feature for two-year-olds at Rosehill on March 22.
Hyeronimus described Beiwacht ($17) as a “raw colt,” recalling his runner-up finish last start to Bellazaine, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, at Randwick on February 8.
“He was off the radar on debut, but we stuck to our plan, didn’t panic, and kept working on him,” Cummings said.
“He’s a naturally fast horse with speed to burn, but we had to teach him to settle and execute his races properly. That’s what you get with a colt by Bivouac out of a Street Cry mare who’s already produced a Group winner.
“He’s a serious talent, and a month out from the Golden Slipper, that’s a huge statement.”
McEvoy was pleased with Wodeton’s effort despite the tough run.
“I thought he was fantastic,” McEvoy said.
“The plan was to be a little quieter early and find cover, but that didn’t happen. He ended up being competitive earlier than we wanted and had to do it the hard way.
“Everything suggests he’ll be spot-on in a few weeks.”
Meanwhile, Zac Lloyd noted that Bel Merci “wasn’t the same horse today.”
Wodeton remains the $3.50 favorite for the Golden Slipper, with Michael Freedman-trained Apocalyptic the second favorite at $11.
Following this win, Beiwacht’s odds have shortened from $34 to $15 with online betting sites for the 2025 Golden Slipper.