Fresh from three of his colts fetching $1 million-plus at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Exceed And Excel has had a further boost from his progeny on the track, with Queen Supreme (Ire) victorious in the G1 Cartier Paddock S., at Kenilworth in South Africa.
The Mike de Kock-trained mare became the Darley reverse-shuttle stallion's 15th Group 1 winner globally, dominating the 2000 metre race to win by 2.5l. De Kock may eye the 2020 Breeders Cup Filly and Mare Turf after her fifth win in seven starts.
She is the fourth Group 1 winner from his Northern Hemisphere crops, and the first one he has had in South Africa.
It’s yet another terrific result from the 19-year-old stallion, with demand for his yearlings soaring, and 24 of them selling on the Gold Coast this week at an average of $398,542, the third best of any stallion with three or more lots in the sale.
The marquee result from this week was the $1.8 million Hawkes Racing paid for Lot 640, the colt out of dual Group 1 winning mare Platelet (Strategic), offered by Cressfield.
There were two other seven-figure results, the $1.1 million Coolmore paid for Lot 255, the colt offered by Milburn Creek out of Dream In Colour (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and the $1 million Gerald Ryan and David Raphael paid for Lot 784, a colt out of Smoke In Alice (USA) (Smoke Glacken {USA}) offered by Edinburgh Park.
For Godolphin Australia Managing Director Vin Cox, the results in the ring and on the track are yet another feather in the cap of the legendary stallion.
"He's in the twilight of his career and he keeps producing Group 1 horses. We're just delighted with the way they have sold this week. There's good reason for that. There are three Group 1 winning colts that are currently racing in this country, obviously our two, Microphone and Bivouac as well as Exceedance," Cox said.
"With another Group 1 winner in South Africa, it’s just sensational, the horse couldn't be going any better. Certainly, he is amongst the upper echelon of stallions in this country and has been for a good while."
"Certainly, he is amongst the upper echelon of stallions in this country and has been for a good while." - Vin Cox
And his global reputation continues to grow as well, as the maternal grandsire of 2019 G1 Investec Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), as well as of Bounding (Lonhro), who produced a US$4.1 million (AU$5.9 million) yearling colt by Curlin (USA) at Keeneland September Sale.
Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) winning the 2019 Investec Derby
Cox has no doubt where Exceed And Excel sits in the history of Australian stallions given the son of Danehill's (USA) wealth of success across the world.
"He's been by far and away the most successful reverse shuttle stallion ever. He's been a sensational horse for Sheikh Mohammed and Godolphin and Darley, he's evergreen and long may it continue," he said.
Exceed And Excel led the way for the Darley stallions on the Gold Coast, where first-season pair Astern and Frosted (USA) also made a significant first impression.
"One in four stakes winners in Australia is by a Darley stallion and that's a significant statistic." - Vin Cox
"Exceed has had a massive week, Astern has sold one for $725,000, Frosted had one at $650,000 and as we are sitting here now, we have an Exosphere near the top of the market at $280,000 in Book 2. I think our horses have been well recognised," Cox said.
"With good reason; one in four stakes winners in Australia is by a Darley stallion and that's a significant statistic."
Exceed And Excel | Standing at Darley
Good shopping
Godolphin was active as a buyer on the Gold Coast also, three seasons after returning to the sales ring under Cox's leadership. The rewards for the last two years of Magic Millions purchasing have resulted in a winner of the 2YO Classic with Exhilarates (Snitzel) and a third in Saturday's edition with Conceited (Medaglia d'Oro {USA}).
Godolphin spent $3.01 million on six yearlings, five fillies and one colt in the last week.
"We couldn't be happier. We have bought very, very well. The proof will be in the eating as they say and we will know how we have gone in a couple of years' time," Cox said.
"To have really strong pedigreed fillies and to buy a Medaglia d'Oro colt out of a very good racemare in Streama is good buying."
In what was a record-breaking week for Magic Millions, Cox, who is a former Managing Director of the company, praised the quality and the competitiveness of the sale and the overall success of the week.
Vin Cox
"Full credit to the Magic Millions team, it was an outstanding draft of horses. The market could have been a little soft but it has been really resilient and even improved," he said.
"Obviously a lot of work has gone on in the background to find the buying bench to fill the void and they have done it extremely well. It's been a fabulous week on the Gold Coast, right from the polo to Book 2 here today."
