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All Too Hard fee unchanged at $27,500
Coolmore Stud Stakes (registered as Ascot Vale Stakes) (Gr 1, 1200m) Exceedance (Exceed And Excel) will stand his first season at Vinery Stud for a fee of $27,500 (inc GST) in 2020.
Exceedance won on debut as a two-year-old, before coming out and winning the San Domenico Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) on his first start as a three-year-old.
The colt then finished third behind Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) and Yes Yes Yes (Rubick) in both The Run To Rose (Gr 2, 1200m) and Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m).
The Team Hawkes-trained colt's crowning glory came on his next start when he turned the tables on a high-class pair, when defeating a stellar field in the stallion-making Coolmore Stud Stakes, showing an explosive turn of foot to land the Group 1 at Flemington last November.
He retires the winner of the three of his nine career starts which saw him amass $1,181,115 in career prize-money.
Exceedance hails from what many consider to be the best crop of Australian three-year-old's in the last decade and Vinery general manager Peter Orton said.
"Exceedance is an exciting addition to our roster this year," said Orton. "He has enormous potential at stud. Exceed And Excel is a terrific source of early speed and his female side has great depth. He is a beautiful looking horse and has that strong pedigree to back him up."
The colt is out of the five-time winner Bonnie Mac (Thorn Park), who is herself a half-sister to Group 3 winning pair Upham (Mastercraftsman) and Intimate Moment (Dubawi) and Listed scorer Gold Rum (Golan).
Exceedance will stand alongside another son of Exceed And Excel (Danehill) in Headwater, who will stand for a slightly reduced fee of $13,750 (inc GST). Headwater has made a good start with his first runners and is represented by three winners so far this season headed by J J Atkins (Gr 1, 1600m) aspirant Wisdom Of Water.
"Headwater has started his career off very well and already has what looks like a topliner in Wisdom Of Water," Orton said. "When you consider he has more juvenile winners than some of the higher priced stallions around the country you have to think the future for him is bright."
Meanwhile, the operation's other young stallion Press Statement (Hinchinbrook) will stand for also be offered to breeders at a fee of $13,750, down from $16,500 (inc GST) on last season. The son of Hinchinbrook (Fastnet Rock), like his barnmate, has sired three winners so far this season.
All Too Hard (Casino Prince) whose exploits as a sire have been advertised by Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Alligator Blood - one of ten stakes winners for the stallion this season - and he will stand for an unchanged fee of $27,500 (inc GST) in 2020.
"We've had a lot of confidence in All Too Hard and we're definitely seeing those results on the track," Orton said. "He has always had nice-sized crops coming through and this season alone he's high up on the stallion lists for individual stakes winners, including two juvenile stakes winners, and total number of stakes races won."
Star Turn (Star Witness) - whose top colt realised $550,000 when purchased by Team Hawkes at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January - will stand his fourth season at stud for a fee of $16,500 (inc GST) having stood last season for $22,000 (inc GST).
"We have been thrilled with how the stock of Star Turn were received at the sales this year," Orton said. "The colt John Hawkes purchased on the Gold Coast is a testament to the type of horse he's producing; they're very forward and athletic, which isn't surprising since Star Turn was such a standout yearling himself."
The Vinery roster is completed by Casino Prince (Flying Spur) - who will stand for a fee of $5,500 (inc GST).
