Back-to-back Hawkesbury Guineas for the Darley stallions

After the victory of Ad Valorem colt Free Wheeling 12 months prior, it was three-year-old Commands gelding Limes who gave the Darley stallions back-to-back victories in the Listed Hawkesbury Guineas, winning the 1400m contest by a head on 4 May.

Defeating Stakes-winning Bernardini gelding Boban, Limes has always shown above average ability, being placed in seven Stakes races during his 15 starts, highlighted by his third place in the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes of his juvenile season behind Lonhro's Champion colt Pierro.

Settling in fifth place on the rails, jockey Christian Reith started to make his move before the home turn, but was blocked for a run. Forcing his way through a gap, Limes held off the late charge of Boban who came from the tail of the field.

Bred by Darley, Limes is out of the Canny Lad mare Rum Cruise, a sister to G2 winner Helm and a half-sister to the G3-winning, G1-placed Salty. From the family of G1 winner Happy Sailing, the G2-winning, multiple G1-placed Hello Darl and the Listed winners Greeting and Befriend, Rum Cruise has a yearling colt by Exceed And Excel named Orujo and a weanling colt by Ad Valorem.

Standing the forthcoming breeding season at Darley Kelvinside at a fee of $55,000 (inc. GST), Commands is the sire of 57 Stakes winners and currently sits in third position on the Australian General Sires’ table behind Exceed And Excel due in part to the deeds of this season’s G1 winners Appearance, Commanding Jewel and Epaulette.