Exceedance retired to stand at Vinery

Images courtesy of Vinery Stud

The 3-year-old, a winner of three of his nine starts for John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes, will begin a new phase of his career, with a fee to be announced in the coming weeks.

"Quite apart from the uncertainty surrounding racing, the time is right. He had nothing left to prove," Vinery General Manager Peter Orton said.

"He won the colts’ grand-final in the Coolmore Stud S. at Flemington. He’s a supreme athlete and a really exciting addition to our roster going forward.”

Gallery: Exceedance when winning the G1 Coolmore Stud S.

He joins another son of Exceed And Excel, in Headwater, who was also trained by Team Hawkes, at Vinery Stud along with former Hawkes' star pair All Too Hard and Star Turn as well as Pluck (USA), Casino Prince and Press Statement.

The full schedule of fees for the Vinery Stud roster are expected to be confirmed later this month.

Bred by Nick Vass, Exceedance was purchased by Orton on behalf of a colts' syndicate for $180,000 at the 2018 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

“I’m a big fan of the sireline and Exceedance caught our eye with his presence and attitude as a yearling,” Orton recalled. “He looked a beautiful mover with a great eye and plenty of scope to keep developing.”

The colt began his career with a barnstorming victory in a Wyong maiden last May, charging late from near last to mark himself as a future star. He did a similar thing at his second start but was beaten 0.2l into third at Rosehill.

Reserved for the spring 3-year-old features, he returned on a heavy track in the G3 San Domenico and overhauled subsequent Group 1 winner Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) for an upset victory and his first stakes win.

He would then finish third behind that colt and the subsequent The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes (Rubick) in his next two races, the G2 Run To The Rose and the G1 Golden Rose S. before being freshened for the G1 Coolmore Stud S.

On a soft track, off a check at the start, he spotted Bivouac a break down the Flemington track, but in a memorable finish Dwayne Dunn drove past his rival late to win the Group 1 in impressive fashion.

“We were banged up between two others out of the barriers," Dunn said at the time “But John Hawkes told me he would win it in the final 200 metres – not the first 400 metres. I decided to get on the back of Bivouac and it worked out perfectly.

"All credit to the horse, he looked after me once things went wrong early. He travelled up nicely and I knew what was under the bonnet. He’s got a great attitude and can really accelerate. He’s from a high-class family – I rode his mother to win as stakes race in Adelaide.”

Exceedance never quite hit his peak again in three runs in the autumn and he retired with a record of three wins and three third placings from nine starts and prizemoney of $1.18 million.

The victory in the Coolmore Stud S., race won by future stallions such as Zoustar, Merchant Navy, Flying Artie, Brazen Beau, Star Witness and Northern Meteor set up his stud career and given his ownership and the colours he raced in, there was never any doubt where he was going to end up.

“That was extra special in the Coolmore,” Orton said. “He’s a super horse and it’s been a great season for 3-year-old colts with Exceedance, Bivouac and Yes Yes Yes.

“He relaxed and settled in straightaway after floating up from Sydney last weekend. We knew he had talent from the outset but what he achieved in just nine starts was amazing.”

Exceedance is the only foal to race from his dam Bonnie Mac (NZ) (Thorn Park), who won a Listed Proud Miss S. as well as four other races during her career on the track.

Bonnie Mac is one of four stakes winners out of stakes-placed mare Gold Class (NZ) (also called She's Golden Class) (Gold Brose), who also produced G3 Grand Prix S. winner Upham (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), G3 Epona S. winner Intimate Moment (NZ) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Listed winner Gold Rum (NZ) (Golan {Ire}).