Eastern Aria, a four-year-old daughter of Halling, recorded her second win at Black type level on 17 July, with a game victory in the Listed Aphrodite Stakes at Newmarket’s July course.
The Mark Johnston-trained filly was soon in front and hard pressed in the closing stages by Lady Artemisia, put up a hugely gutsy performance to regain the lead and win by a length from Snoqualmie Girl.
Eastern Aria, who runs in the colours of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum, has now won no fewer than eight times and finished a creditable fourth in the G1 E P Taylor Stakes at Woodbine last October. Bred by Darley, she is out of the winning Danzig mare Badraan, also dam of this year’s Spanish Oaks winner Narya – a full sister to Eastern Aria.
Halling has now sired seven Black type performers this year, including G1 Prix Ganay winner Cutlass Bay.
Further afield, Exceed And Excel's G1-winning son Reward For Effort returned to the racecourse after more than a year away due to injury in the best possible fashion, winning the Listed Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield, Australia.
Exceed And Excel has been enjoying another outstanding season in the northern hemisphere, siring more juvenile winners than any other sire in Europe.
