Benevac (AUS)
3 g Bivouac – Houston Benefactor by Encosta De Lago
O: Dynamic Ladies (Mgr: Mrs F K Watt), Mrs K Coopersmith, Mrs J A Kayess, Mrs C Freeman, Ms J E Mors, Mrs B K Bennell, Mrs P Smith, Dr L Vaughan, Mrs V A Warton, Mrs K J Mitchell, Miss TL Mcmanus & Segenhoe Ladies (Mgr: Mrs S Grosvenor)
B: Segenhoe Thoroughbreds Australia Pty Ltd
T: Ciaron Maher
S: 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale V: Segenhoe Stud P: Dynamic Syndications / Dean Watt Bloodstock, $140,000
W: DrinkWise Maiden Plate, 1100m, September 17, Canterbury
The Ciaron Maher-trained Benevac (Bivouac) continued his progression on Wednesday when getting off the mark at the third attempt in an 1100-metre maiden at Canterbury.
Having kicked off his career with an eighth-placed effort – beaten six lengths – in the Lonhro Plate (Listed, 1000m) on debut in February, the son of Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) returned as a three-year-old with a third-placed run at Gosford at the end of last month before improving two places on Wednesday.
Ridden by Tim Clark, the gelding jumped away well from the outside barrier and sat close to the pace before hitting the front inside the 200 metres and fending off the late challenge of Buckeye (Zousain) to score by 0.1 lengths.
There was a further 1.6 lengths back to his third-placed stablemate Pierro Lad (Pierro).
“Obviously, around this track if you can skip away like he did, especially, as he’d had a run under his belt, so we were comfortable doing that,” Maher’s stable rep Johann Gerard-Dubord said.
“He’s always been showing a bit of talent, that’s why we started him in that race [Lonhro Plate] last prep. He did a few things wrong that day and so he’s been gilded since.
“He was good first-up and improved on the back of that, and yeah, it was tough today. So good to get a job done. Great to get the job done for Dynamic [Syndications, owner]. They’re very good supporters and Adam’s [Watt] granddad, Cyril, is not very well, and I think that means a lot to them.”
Purchased out of the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale by Dynamic Syndications and Dean Watt Bloodstock for $140,000, Benevac is the sixth winner from seven to race out of the Encosta De Lago (Fairy King) mare Houston Benefactor, herself a sister to Group 2 winner Sovereign Nation.