The regally-bred Bernicia looks every bit the latest star for her illustrious family after maintaining her clean sweep in three career starts with victory in the $150,000 Listed Keith F. Nolan Classic (1600m) at Kembla Grange on Sunday.
From the first southern hemisphere crop of Elusive Quality, sire of Kentucky Derby hero Smarty Jones in the US and G1 winner Camarilla in Australia, Bernicia is out of Blue Diamond Stakes winner Danelagh, and has a hard act to follow in attempting to live up to the lofty reputations of her half-siblings Vengeance Of Rain and Dizelle. But her progress thus far hints that she has every chance of emulating the latter, who won the AJC Oaks in 2005.
Elusive Quality, whose son Related went so close in the Todman on Saturday and is now on course for the Golden Slipper, will be well represented at the forthcoming Easter sale with 24 yearlings catalogued, including Related’s full-brother.
Exceed And Excel’s first-crop runners have given their sire a dream start to his stud career and his ninth individual winner was recorded on Sunday when Sheedy scored on debut at Wangaratta. Bred by Darley Australia, Sheedy is out of Viase de Fleurs (Machiavellian) and was bought by Harry Lawton at the last year’s Inglis premier yearling sale.
Exceed And Excel is the sire of Group-winning juveniles Wilander, Exceedingly Good and Believe’n’succeeed.
In the US, Zenyatta became the latest G1 winner for her sire Street Cry when taking out the Apple Blossom Handicap by four lengths to remain unbeaten in four starts. Street Cry is also the sire of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Kentucky Derby hero Street Sense, who now stands for Darley.
