As Exceed And Excel is about to be crowned Champion first-season sire in Australia, his European runners are playing an impressive game of catch-up. Flashmans Papers brought the curtain down on a sensational first day of action at Royal Ascot to become his sire’s seventh individual northern hemisphere winner and his first at Stakes level when storming home in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes (5f/1000m)
The colt is British-bred by Philip Freedman’s Cliveden Stud and is out of the Lion Cavern mare Franglais. He is a half-brother to recent Newmarket winner Temple Of Thebes and fetched 38,000gns (A$82,748) at last year’s Doncaster St Leger Yearling Sales.
Exceed And Excel, who is sire in Australia of the G3 winners Believe’n’succeed, Exceedingly Good and Wilander, will also be represented at Royal Ascot this week by Excellent Show, who runs in the G2 Queen Mary Stakes on Wednesday and Spin Cycle in Thursday’s G2 Norfolk Stakes.
Earlier in the day, Raven's Pass, by Elusive Quality who stands for Darley in Kentucky and shuttles to Darley Australia's NSW base for the southern hemisphere breeding season, posted a superb effort in the G1 St. James's Palace Stakes when running half a length second to dual Guineas winner Henrythenavigator.
