Cover image courtesy of Vinery
The mighty Exceed And Excel officially retired from stud duties in March this year, fittingly on the 20th anniversary of his victory in the G1 Newmarket H., a race won this year by his son Cylinder.
Exceed And Excel, a son of the sensational influence Danehill (USA), retired in 2004 and has flown Darley's banner high and proud as one of the operation's most successful sires worldwide. The son of Danehill (USA) continues to sire winners and, at the time of writing, is responsible for 217 stakes winners worldwide, claiming 403 stakes races. Additionally, 358 of his progeny have been stakes performers. He was also crowned Australian Champion Sire for 2012/2013.
Unsurprisingly, sons of Exceed And Excel have been hot property. Segenhoe-based Vinery Stud stands two of his finest and most promising sons: the proven producer Headwater and the exciting Exceedance.
Exceed And Excel
The Thoroughbred Report chatted with Vinery’s sales and nominations Harry Roach to learn more about its affinity for sons of Exceed And Excel and the sensational Saturday the Vinery barn enjoyed.
“For Exceedance to start the day (Saturday) with a metropolitan juvenile winner (Swiftfalcon) was a really fantastic achievement; it’s not an easy thing to do. Then for Star Turn to sire a stakes winner (Megastar Heart) and Stefi Magnetica claiming the G1 Stradbroke H. to be the fifth individual Group 1 winner for All Too Hard made for a stellar day,” Roach told TTR AusNZ.
Commenting on the affinity for Exceed And Excel, Roach added, “It probably happened more coincidentally through our colts group, where we always had a son of Exceed And Excel in the group every year.
“For Exceedance to start the day with a metropolitan juvenile winner was a really fantastic achievement; it’s not an easy thing to do.” - Harry Roach
“There’s a bit of sentiment attached, given Exceed And Excel was born and raised at Vinery himself, so that always factors in a bit. However, he needs no introduction with his results, so he’s always a stallion we targeted and have had a bit of luck with him, with nice colts in our group.”
Exceedance off to a flyer
Vinery’s young gun, Exceedance, an extremely talented son of Exceed And Excel, claimed the stallion-making G1 Coolmore Stud S., beating his paternal brother Bivouac. Exceedance has made a flying start to his stud career, and despite not making his debut as a 2-year-old until May 16, his first crop have shown to be tough and talented runners.
Exceedance has sired five individual winners of seven races, including two stakes winners of three stakes races. Showing his versatility, Exceedance’s first stakes success came with Dublin Down, who was up early in the spring running fourth in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. before claiming the G3 Maribyrnong Plate on Melbourne Cup Day.
Dublin Down progressed to the autumn and brought his class to Sydney to win the G3 Pago Pago S. Meanwhile, Exceedance’s second stakes winner came with Flyer. The Jason Warren-trained filly set tongues wagging with her brilliant debut at Sandown-Hillside in February.
Exceedance | Standing at Vinery
Thrown into the deep end in the G1 Blue Diamond S., it was not to be on that occasion, but showing her trainability and tenacity, the filly remained in training, running a pair of fifths in a Group 2 and Group 3 in March before taking a trip to Adelaide where she recorded a third in the G3 Breeders S. and then broke her stakes duck in fabulous fashion in the G3 David Coles AM S.
“He was winning as a 2-year-old in May, and his best efforts were in the spring when we saw him at his scintillating best (winning the Coolmore Stud S.). We’ve had quite a close finger on the pulse with his first crop of juveniles, as you’d expect through the ones, we are racing ourselves, through clients, and trainers.
"While we always felt there was a good chance of seeing some strong, early 2-year-old results, I feel that’s just set the tone for what’s to come in the spring and autumn as 3-year-olds.
“Exceedance has found himself in the strongest first year of stallions in recent memory. So, when you consider that he’s only one of two in that group to have sired multiple stakes winners, it gives the result all the more significance.”
“Exceedance has found himself in the strongest first year of stallions in recent memory. So, when you consider that he’s only one of two in that group to have sired multiple stakes winners, it gives the result all the more significance.” - Harry Roach
On Saturday, Swiftfalcon became Exceedance’s fifth and latest winner with an impressive display over 1400 metres at Rosehill. The gelding, raced by R & C Legh Racing, B & C Thoroughbreds, and Pulitano Thoroughbreds, is trained by the trio who guided his father to success—Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes.
After finishing fifth on debut over 1100 metres at Rosehill in late April, Swiftfalcon progressed to finish third behind the subsequent stakes-placed Aemelius (Hellbent) at Randwick on May 25, before his breakout performance on Saturday.
Swiftfalcon was bred by his owners and was due to be presented by Vinery Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale but was withdrawn.
“Rupert Leigh raced Exceedance with us, so it was great to see him enjoy a result with Swiftfalcon. He’s a horse that Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes have always told us about.
“He was born at Vinery and was one of the foals in the early days we actually took people to see to showcase the sorts of physicals Exceedance was throwing. So, we’ve always had a pretty strong opinion of Swiftfalcon ourselves. Additionally, he always promised a performance of that level based on the feedback we were given on him.
“So, he looks like a real contender for the spring.”
“So, we've always had a pretty strong opinion of him (Swiftfalcon), and he always promised a performance of that level given the feedback we've gotten on him. So, he looks like a real contender for the spring.” - Harry Roach
Vinery elected to keep Exceedance’s fee at $33,000 (inc GST) for the upcoming spring, a price he has stood for the best two seasons since debuting at $38,500 (inc GST).
“We have targeted the broodmare sires that Exceed And Excel himself and other sons have had success with for Exceedance. That presented a plethora of broodmare sires, but I think it’s the mark of a really good stallion that can work with any broodmare sire.
“The horses Exceedance has gotten are quite versatile, so I genuinely think that’s a fantastic sign going forward.
Harry Roach
“We are still working through our matings, but we’re looking at a mare named Runaway Star, a Group 3 and multiple stakes-winning daughter of Northern Meteor.
“She’s one that comes to mind; she was a multiple stakes winner herself and coincidentally also by Northern Meteor like Tempting Delight (dam of Swiftfalcon). Her 2-year-old (Brave One) by Exceedance, also trained by Team Hawkes, had his first trial during the week, and he sold for $300,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Team Hawkes have a very high opinion of him.
“Runway Star then backed up with her Exceedance yearling colt this year, selling to Chris Waller and Guy Mulcaster for $330,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. So, I think with the confidence of what the mare is doing with Exceedance, she looks like a really straightforward one to return to him.
“The horses Exceedance has gotten are quite versatile, so I genuinely think that’s a fantastic sign going forward.” - Harry Roach
Commenting on Exceedance’s progeny as types, Roach said, “Athletic but they seem to consistently possess a lot of quality. I notice a lot that he seems to be quite bay dominant, we see a lot of bays with white stars, and I love a stallion that is so dominant in the attributes he passes on, and I think that perfectly describes what Exceedance does.”
Headwater punching above his weight
The proven commodity, Headwater, provides breeders plenty of bang for their buck. Standing at a reduced fee of $9900 (inc GST), he has sired seven individual winners of 13 stakes races, including 17 stakes performers.
Headwater, like Exceedance, was trained by Team Hawkes and won the G2 Silver Slipper S. as a juvenile before going on to secure the Listed Kensington S.
Headwater has occupied a top-five position on the Leading Australia 2YO Sires (by winners) list for the 2023/24 season. He has sired 10 individual juvenile winners of 12 races, including a stakes winner. Notably, Headwater is the only stallion standing under $50,000 (inc GST) to hold a top-five position.
Headwater | Standing at Vinery
Roach is confident the best is yet to come for Headwater, with large books of juveniles set to come through the ranks.
“In a market that puts so much emphasis on 2-year-old success, you look through that 2-year-old winner's sire table, and Headwater’s results are really quite phenomenal, particularly when you compare his service fee to the sires around him on that table.
“We’ve been saying it for a long time, but I think people are starting to recognise what an outstanding job he’s actually done this season. They train on as well. You look at those horses Headwater has had that have gone on to have success a little bit older; horses like Mileva come to mind, who excelled with a bit of time. So, Headwater is versatile in that respect, he can get you a very good 2-year-old with the confidence they will race on.
“In a market that puts so much emphasis on 2-year-old success, you look through that 2-year-old winner's sire table, and Headwater’s results are really quite phenomenal.” - Harry Roach
“I feel that he’s a great option to set up those younger mares looking for a proven stallion where breeders don’t have to pay a hell of a lot or invest a huge amount to get a very good chance to see those young mares up.
“We feel that with big numbers coming through and the results this season, Headwater has set the tone for some exciting times ahead. Again, we’ve focused on the broodmare sires that worked with Exceed And Excel, but if you look at Headwater’s top-performing progeny, they’re by a really strong cross-section of sires; Magic Albert, Johannesburg, Swiss Ace, Royal Academy. Headwater’s top four horses are by four very different broodmare sires.”
Vinery firing on all clyinders
It was a fruitful Saturday for the Vinery barn as a whole, with All Too Hard and Star Turn getting in on the act, siring stakes winners at Eagle Farm.
Star Turn started strong with his progressive son, Megastar Heart, claiming the Listed Oxlade S. to become the eighth individual stakes winner for the son of Star Witness. This victory excited Roach, who believes the Annabel Neasham-trained juvenile has a big future.
Megastar Heart, bred by Fairview Park Stud, was presented by his breeders at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, where Solari Bloodstock paid $120,000 to secure him. Megastar Heart was reoffered by KB Bloodstock at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale and was purchased for a sale-topping NZ$825,000 by Pato Leung.
Star Turn | Standing at Vinery
“He was obviously a horse that we’ve watched very closely after selling so well at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, and to see him really put his hand up as a horse with great talent and potential is exciting.
“It’s not always those horses with the high price tags that back it up on the track, but Megastar Heart genuinely looks like he’s got that ability to go on, and he physically strikes me as a horse that has the scope and will continue to get better with time, which creates a pretty ominous warning going forward.
Speaking on Star Turn, Roach said, “I think looking for a proven stallion to set their mare up, Star Turn is a fantastic option. His ability to get you a winner is quite phenomenal.
“I think looking for a proven stallion to set their mare up, Star Turn is a fantastic option. His ability to get you a winner is quite phenomenal.” - Harry Roach
“People genuinely like buying them as yearlings. There’s no gender bias, there’s no color bias; he just gets good horses of all shapes and sizes, and he does represent tremendous value at his service fee this year, and I think people recognise the fact Star Turn is doing an outstanding job.”
Meanwhile, the outstanding All Too Hard took out the main event with his talented daughter Stefi Magnetica saluting in the $3 million G1 Stradbroke H. for Bjorn Baker.
Stefi Magnetica is the fifth individual Group 1 winner for All Too Hard, who has sired 25 individual stakes winners of 67 stakes races and 57 stakes-performed horses.
All Too Hard is priced at $38,500 (inc GST), while Star Turn is available for $27,500 (inc GST).
“Proven stallions below $50,000 are hard to find in an economy where breeders are really looking for value. Some of the feedback we’ve gotten along the way in recent times was that All Too Hard needed another good horse to come out and do it, and for Stefi Magentica to win the Stradbroke H., emulating her mother’s efforts (Mid Summer Music) and Alligator Blood as well.
“That’s a phenomenal effort. I think it holds a lot of substance for people to recognise that he’s gotten another really nice filly as well. The exciting thing about Stefi Magentica going forward is the attribute that All Too Hard is so consistent; his progeny race on and they get better as they get older, which is illustrated by his best horses.
All Too Hard | Standing at Vinery
“I think overall we just feel it's quite easy to get caught up in the hype but results like this are a timely reminder for breeders ahead of the mating season of what a great job these stallions are truly doing.”
