70th Stakes winner for Australia’s leading sire

Four-year-old Exceed And Excel mare Aerobatics delivered her first career Stakes win to her connections and the 70th for her sire, taking out the Listed Darley Crown at Hawkesbury on 4 May.

Settling in third for jockey Christian Reith, Aerobatics was produced at the right time to reel in the leaders and defeat Artic Flight by a short neck with Pipette a further half-length back in third.

Aerobatics becomes the third Darley stallion-sired winner of the race in the past four years after the victories of Serenissima (Lonhro) and Kanzan (Commands). She was bred by Darley and is out of the Rahy mare Grisle, a half-sister to G2 winners Porte Bonheur and Slip Stream as well as the Listed winner Banafsajee (dam of Listed winner Banksia). Aerobatics is the third Stakes winner for her dam behind the G1 Coolmore Classic winner Alverta and the Singapore G3 winner Revolte.

Standing the forthcoming season at Darley Kelvinside at a fee of $88,000 (inc. GST), Exceed And Excel’s current season has gone from strength to strength. Having sired the G1 Golden Slipper winner Overreach, he backed it up with Guelph who took out the final two legs of the two-year-old Triple Crown.

Exceed And Excel is now the sire of 70 international Stakes winners highlighted by six G1 winners  including triple G1 winner Reward For Effort, Excelebration, Margot Did and another triple G1 winner in Helmet who is standing his second season at Northwood Park at a fee of $33,000 (inc. GST).