The progeny of Exceed And Excel notched another Pattern success on Saturday when his filly, Sugar Babe (pictured winning as a two-year-old), won the G3 H D F McNeil Stakes at Caulfield to lead home a one-two-three for Darley stallions.
Trained by Lee Freedman, she was making her seasonal debut and did well to score, as she had to race wide for most of the way. She will now head to the Guineas Prelude in three weeks' time and then to the Guineas itself in mid-October.
Sugar Babe was a $500,000 Magic Millions purchase and was bred by Strawberry Hill Stud from Multiple Group-winning mare On Type (Zeditave). Filling second and third spots at Caulfield were the Street Cry gelding Whobegotyou and Cardinal Virtue, a son of Elusive Quality.
Also on Saturday in Ireland, Exceed And Excel took his European tally to 17 individual winners when Paddy The Pro was victorious in the five-furlong (1000m) Maiden at Dundalk. Bred by Eamon Molony Jr, he is out of the Kingmambo mare Vinicky and from the family of Champion sire, Lyphard.
The champion freshman sire in Australia last season, Exceed And Excel has made a tremendous start with his first European crop, siring four Stakes horses so far including Royal Ascot winner, Flashmans Papers and last weekend's G2 scorer, Infamous Angel. He currently sits second in the European first-season sires table behind fellow Darley stallion, Kheleyf.
At Calder, the E Dubai gelding Dubai Distinction gained his first Stakes victory when running out a neck winner of the Eillo Stakes.
Trained by Michael Jablow, he handled the sloppy conditions well to win the 1200m event .
He was bred by Sun Valley Farm out of the unraced Dayjur mare Darlin, who is a granddaughter of the Champion, Straight Deal.
