Beiwacht Cements Stud Future With All Aged Victory

Godolphin colt Beiwacht (AUS) cemented his stud future at Darley with a front-running victory against older horses in the April 18 All Aged Stakes (G1) over 1,400 meters (about 7 furlongs) at Randwick Racecourse, completing a group 1 double for trainer Chris Waller in the process. The son of Bivouac (AUS) had already won at the elite level against his own age group in the Golden Rose (G1) last September and following Saturday's win, Waller was quick to pick out a target like the AU$20 million The Everest (G1) next season. The champion trainer was plotting long-term in what could be a vain attempt to keep the colt in training instead of being whisked off to stud in the spring. "You will have to ask Godolphin about his immediate future," he said. "Beiwacht is a very special horse. He's won the Golden Rose breaking the track record and he's just shown what a talent he is for Sheikh Mohammed. "It's a very special feeling getting these good horses and I respect they've got big values as well. He's got a great attitude and I've got a great team behind me to help get colts like this to the races in the shape we do." Nash Rawiller said Beiwacht traveled beautifully before kicking to defeat stablemate Lazzura (AUS) a length, with Jimmysstar (NZ) producing another admirable effort the same margin further back in third. "It's a great feeling when you're on a really good horse and know you're home," Rawiller said. "I just love the way he lengthened stride again when I asked. "He's just a really highly talented sprinter-miler but at this stage I wouldn't be rushing to get over longer distances. There's plenty of 1,400- and 1,200-meter races for him for the time being." Snitzel gone but not forgotten at Randwick Snitzel may be gone but the Arrowfield icon brought back memories going back 20 years at Randwick Saturday. The stage saw Snitzel sire three winners headed by colt Fireball (AUS) in the Champagne Stakes (G1)—and he was ably assisted by Snitzel Dancer and Matias with their respective victories in the James H B Carr Stakes (G3) and Frank Packer Plate (G3). Snitzel was prepared by Gerald Ryan, and he also saddled Saturday feature winners Snitzel Dancer and Matias with co-trainer Sterling Alexiou, while it was Waller who took group 1 honors with Fireball. Waller said Fireball was overdue after the youngster suffered best-forgotten losses in the Golden Slipper (G1) and Sires' Produce Stakes (G1). "He was very unlucky in the Slipper but credit to the staff," the champion trainer said. "He's a happy horse because we don't overload the young ones and just go with their level." Fireball led home a Snitzel quinella and Waller-trained trifecta, defeating Campione D'italia by a neck with Diameter another neck back in third. "It's been a big preparation and you wouldn't know he's so deep into the preparation," Waller added. "He's been coping so well and running with so much merit and he deserved that win today." Winning jockey Tim Clark was confident going into the Champagne Stakes and settled Fireball back in the field with cover before allowing him to let down with a perfectly timed powerful finish. "He got a great run today although I didn't want to get there too soon, but the way the race unfolded I had to present him when I did in the straight," Clark said. "The challengers came early but he's so tough and fought back. He's been running in all the big races and it's great to get a result for James and Chris." Snitzel died in June 2025 and his penultimate crop of 33 yearlings that found new homes at last month's Inglis Easter Sale averaged AU$606,000 at Riverside Stables. At time of his death, Snitzel was a four-time Australian champion sire, four-time champion 2-year-old sire, and two-time champion 3-year-old sire with five Inglis Easter sale-toppers. Jigsaw Keeps Rolling Saturday's record-breaking meeting at Ascot Racecourse reached its crescendo as Jigsaw (AUS) continued his remarkable resurgence with a dominant all-the-way victory in the AU$5 million Quokka. The 'Jigsaw Juggernaut' came as no surprise when he led from barrier to box in the lucrative feature for Cranbourne owner/trainer Cindy Alderson. It was the gelding's seventh win in a row in a sequence that includes group 1 triumphs on either side of the Tasman. He held off a late challenge from Rey Magnerio (AUS) to score by 0.4 lengths under regular pilot Logan Bates. Alderson admitted she was overwhelmed by the performance, particularly given her gelding's long campaign. "I'm lost for words—seven in a row, seven years old, it's incredible," she said. "I turned down an offer to Hong Kong for him so I just thought I would hedge my bets. I told Marcus (Price, part-owner) he was a very nice horse and it's turned out we've had the ride of a lifetime. "How could it get any better than this? I picked a spot near the winning post and I just stayed in the zone until the 100 meters when I started cheering, which is not normal for me." Bates praised both the Jigsaw's determination and Alderson's handling: "He was all out at the 100 meters but just kept surging—what a horse." Jigsaw's winning run dates back to October at Cranbourne and includes victories in the McEwen Stakes (G2), Railway Stakes (G1), and William Reid Stakes (G1), underlining a purple patch that has taken the gelding across multiple states and now to Perth's richest sprint. He is a rising 8-year-old son of Manhattan Rain (AUS)—who will close the gap on Playing God (AUS) at the top of the WA Sires' premiership with the AU$2 million first-place prize money allocation. Manhattan Rain stood at Geisel Park, however, he's looking for a new home for the 2026 serving season after owner Eddie Rigg announced last week the historic Myalup property will be sold.