Second Stakes victory for Eximius

A last start long-neck second behind Lonhro gelding Academus in the Listed Daybreak Lover at Eagle Farm, three-year-old Exceed And Excel gelding Eximius recorded his second career Stakes victory on June 29, winning the Listed Sunshine Coast Guineas over 1600m.

Jumping from one of the widest barriers in the very large field, jockey Larry Cassidy allowed the Mick Price-trained Eximius to settle out wide towards the tail of the field.

As the race favourite Lucky Hussler started to make his run as the field headed for home, Cassidy allowed his mount to track up on the favourite, proving too tough in the wet conditions, scoring by three-parts of a length from the favourite.

Bred by Mr Ian Smith of Edinburgh Park, Eximius was a $100,000 yearling purchase by Rockmount at the 2011 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Supreme Thoroughbreds who had initially purchased him as a weanling from the Magic Millions Weanling Sale for $60,000.

Out of the Dehere mare Allegra, herself a half-sister to the Listed winner Cat D’Antibes from the family of G1 performer Brave Warrior, the mare has a weanling full-brother to Eximius on the ground.

Currently Australia’s leading sire, Exceed And Excel has produced 71 Stakes winner globally highlighted by this season’s Two-year-old Triple Crown winners; Overreach, a winner of the G1 Golden Slipper and Guelph, the winner of the G1 Sires’ Produce and Champagne Stakes.

Exceed And Excel will stand the forthcoming breeding season at Darley’s Hunter Valley-base Kelvinside Stud at a fee of $88,000 (inc. GST), while his triple G1-winning son Helmet will stand at Northwood Park at a fee of 33,000 (inc. GST).