Bearcat began his stud career with a brilliant winner at Belmont on Saturday.  His first starter Time To Climb never ever looking like being beaten in the Westspeed Plate (1000m).

Time To Climb (2f Bearcat – True Roman by Is It True) jumped straight to the front and strolled home with more than two lengths to spare.  The Trevor Andrews trained filly started a $3.30 favourite after an impressive trial win in September.

“She is a very quick learner and has always shown us plenty,” Andrews told perthracing.com.au.  “She is light on her legs and we haven’t had a lot of trouble with her shins.”

Bearcat is a brother to 1999 Golden Slipper winner Catbird who died in 2007 after just seven seasons at stud.  He is based at Kent and Nina Johnston’s Taunton Vale Stud in WA and Time To Climb is one of 58 foals from his first crop.

Bearcat (Danehill) was originally purchased to race in Hong Kong by Anton Koolman Bloodstock for $700,000 at the 2001 Inglis Easter yearling sales.  He earned a reputation as a sprinter with an explosive turn of foot that helped him break the 1400m track record at Happy Valley.

Time To Climb was a $75,000 buy at the 2009 Perth Magic Millions.  She is a three-quarter sister to G2 Karrakatta Plate winner Roman Time (Danetime) and a half-sister to Perth 2yo winner Russell Road (King’s Best).

Their dam True Roman is a half-sister to stakes-winners Grey Man and Tolo Harbour.  They are descendants of the Bart Cummings trained 1978 Australian Horse of the Year Maybe Mahal.

Taunton Vale has entered a Bearcat brother to Time to Climb for the 2010 Perth Magic Millions yearling sale.