Even more impressive than his debut victory, Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr’s 2yo Bivouac colt Big Sky further highlighted his claim on the $2m G1 MRC Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) with an emphatic three length victory in the G3 MRC Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield to remain unbeaten.
Going forward from gate 2 in the small seven horse field, jockey Ben Melham took the short-priced favourite to the lead where he controlled the race throughout.
With Home Affairs filly La Gitana sitting just off Big Sky, once the home turn was reached, the leading colt dropped into another gear without being asked for an effort, crusing away from his rivals.
Hands and heels riding all the way to the line, the colt still had plenty to offer as Melham eased him down on the line to score by three lengths.
Farnan colt Invincible Son came along the rail for Jamie Melham to finish in second with La Gitana holding on for third, a further half length back.
Interestingly the last winner of the race for the stable was a colt who would go on to prove statistically one of the best we've seen for some time. Racing as Extreme Choice, the son of Not A Single Doubt was the last winner of the Chairman’s Stakes to go on and win the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes, and there are surely plenty who feel this colt will join his illustrious sire with that elite level victory.
The Price/Kent stable appear to have a stranglehold on the upcoming Blue Diamond with equal favourites Big Sky and the unbeaten Guest House (Home Affairs), who has the option of going to next Saturday’s G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) as a leading in race to the Blue Diamond.
Taking his earnings to $204,100, the unbeaten colt was purchased from the draft of Eureka Stud at last year’s Magic Millions yearling sale for $140,000, a bargain price for the ability the colt is showing.
"Gee, he’s quite green – I think a furlong out, he was clocking off,” Price said. “That’s probably a good sign. The greater pressure of a Blue Diamond, I’m assuming won’t do him any harm. He’ll have a good three weeks, and he’ll turn up in a Blue Diamond.”
When asked how he compared Guest House and Big Sky, Price did slightly favour one over the other but said it call comes down to race day.
“Look, Guesthouse is a really good horse, and I just worked him by myself this morning. He's got a gallop on Tuesday with Jamie Melham, just sitting off one, teaching him a little bit.
“My feel would be Guesthouse would be a better horse, but race day tells all. I think Guesthouse has got very good capacity about him. I just feel that he has. But we've got to see it. But I just feel there's a lot there. Good to have some depth in the squad.”
Having his first race day ride on the colt, Melham was suitably impressed.
“He’s always shown really good ability, he just does things on feel a little bit,” Melham said.
“He’ll sort of spook at something and get running, but he certainly looks more awkward than he feels out there. He couldn’t have been any more impressive today. I didn’t really get too stuck into him and he won with a bit in hand.
“Great moving horse, good body horse, lovely type of colt. Good head on his shoulders, but he's just got to iron out a couple of things probably to be
“He's heading the right direction, and if he continues, he's certainly going to be one of the leading chances anyway.”
The third winner from three to the races out of the Red Dazzler mare Zoom By, the mare’s current yearling, a filly by Spirit Of Boom will head to the upcoming Inglis Classic where she will sell as Lot 607 as part of Eureka Stud’s 12-strong draft.
Zoom By foaled a colt by Spirit Of Boom in October and has since been covered by Anamoe, whose first crop yearlings sold up to $1.1m at the recent Magic Millions yearling sale.
Big Sky became the fourth individual stakes winner for Darley’s three-time G1-winning Exceed And Excel stallion Bivouac whose leading performer to date is G1 Golden Rose winner Beiwacht who impressed in a recent barrier trial victory.
