Godolphin’s triple Gr1 winner Bivouac (Exceed and Excel-Dazzler, by More Than Ready) has been officially retired to stud after finishing fifth in the Gr1 TJ Smith Stakes last weekend, reports racing.com.
“It’s not the Bivouac we were expecting,” trainer James Cummings told RSN927.
“I think he’s capable of following in the footsteps of Exceed And Excel (Danehill) himself. His best son on the racetrack and hopefully he is his best son at stud.”
Second on debut as an early spring 2YO, Bivouac won the Listed Lonhro Plate as a February 2YO, then ran fourth behind subsequent Everest winner Yes Yes Yes (Rubick-Sin Sin Sin, by Fantastic Light) in the Gr2 Todman Stakes (who he beat twice as a 3YO) before rounding out his 2YO season with victory in the Gr3 Kindergarten Stakes.
As a 3YO, he won first up in the Gr3 Vain Stakes, ending the spring with three wins and two seconds from six starts, including a win in the important Gr1 Golden Rose Stakes, as well as a second behind Exceedance (Exceed and Excel-Bonnie Mac, by Thorn Park) in the Gr1 Coolmore Stud Stakes.
As an autumn 3YO, Bivouac won the Gr1 Newmarket Handicap, before coming back as a 4YO to finish second in the Everest behind Classique Legend (Not a Single Doubt-Pinocchio, by Encosta de Lago) and winning the Gr1 VRC Sprint Classic. Bivouac joins the European trio of Earthlight (Shamardal-Winters Moon, by New Approach), Ghaiyyath (Dubawi-Nightime, by Galileo) and Pinatubo (Shamardal-Lava Flow, by Dalakhani) as new recruits on Darley’s Australian roster ahead of the 2021 breeding season with a fee to be announced soon.
Exceed and Excel was crowned Australian Champion Sire in 2012/13 and has left 183 stakes winners. Bivouac is a full sibling to Listed winner Coruscate, and his dam is a half-sister to four-time Gr1 winner Guelph (Exceed and Excel).
