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166th stakes winner for Exceed And Excel.
The ever-popular Darley stallion Exceed And Excel (Danehill) sired his 166th stakes winner on Saturday courtesy of Minhaaj's (2 f ex Telaawa by Lonhro) demolition job in the Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Flemington.
Bred and owned by Shadwell and trained by Lindsay Park, the two-year-old filly broke her maiden in impressive fashion at Bendigo last month on debut and she showed that performance was no fluke surging clear in equally dominant style to beat Muntaseera (I Am Invincible) by four and a half lengths.
Minhaaj has tightened from $51 to $15 for the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) after Saturday's victory however, her prize-money earnings of $110,150 leaves her just outside the top 20 in the ballot order for the Group 1 released earlier this week.
"I don't know prize money-wise whether she'll get in the big one but we'll certainly head towards it," Hayes said.
"She's hit form at the right time and a lot of them are losing form. So that's good.
"It could be a year for a nice fresh horse on the scene.
"We've just gone slowly with this one and she's appeared on time and I'm sure she will pull up brilliantly from racing on this lovely track today."
If Minhaaj does not make the Golden Slipper, Hayes indicated the Percy Sykes Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) for two-year-old fillies during The Championships at Randwick was an option.
Minhaaj is out of the winning Lonhro (Octagonal) mare Telaawa, who is herself a half-sister to Group 3 winner Charmed Harmony (Hussonet) and Grade 3 winner Suyoof (Magic Albert) and it is a family that has worked well when mated to Exceed And Excel.
Meanwhile, the filly's third dam is Imposing Life (Imposing) who produced six winners including Group 3 winner Life's A Bounty (Bahamian Bounty) and Listed winner Miss Prospect (Rory's Jester) - the dam of 2009 Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner and now Chatswood Stud resident Reward For Effort (Exceed And Excel) and Listed winner Consular (Royal Academy).
Imposing Life also produced four time winner Bahia (Snippets), who is famed for producing 2013 Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Overreach (Exceed And Excel) and Group 2 winner Standout (Exceed And Excel).
In 2019 Telaawa produced a sister to Minhaaj and has most recently missed to Yarraman Park's new sire Hellbent (I Am Invincible).
Exceed And Excel has 18 yearlings catalogued at next month's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Minhaaj becomes the 28th stakes winner for Lonhro as a broodmare sire, while she is the third stakes scorer from bred on the Exceed And Excel / Lonhro cross, joining fellow Group 3 winner Manicure and Resin.
