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Exceed And Excel continues excellent form

3 minute read

Aquitaine hands Darley stallion with his 171st stakes winner.

AQUITAINE winning the Nuturf Mick Dittman Plate.
AQUITAINE winning the Nuturf Mick Dittman Plate. Picture: Steve Hart

The James Cummings-trained Aquitaine (3 f ex Thalia by Medaglia d'Oro) added valuable black-type to her CV when she landed the Mick Dittman Plate (Listed, 1000m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday and in the process handed Darley stalwart Exceed And Excel (Danehill) with his 171st stakes winner. 

The three-year-old filly came into the race off the back of a second place finish in the Denise's Joy Stakes (Listed, 1100m) in May, but she went one better on Saturday, scampering to a three-quarter length victory over Iced (Better Than Ready), while Niedorp (Not A Single Doubt) finished another nose adrift in third. 

The filly was expected to travel back to Sydney next week, but she is now likely to stay and run in the Gai Waterhouse Classic (Listed, 1350m) at Ipswich next Saturday. 

"She had been placed in some black-type races and James (trainer Cummings) felt she should get a chance to win a race in Brisbane," said Godolphin travelling foreman Nacim Dilmi.

"She has done well and she isn't going back to Sydney on the float on Sunday.

"I think James is looking at a race like the Gai Waterhouse at Ipswich for her."

Aquitaine is out of Group 3-placed Medaglia d'Oro (El Prado) mare Thalia, making her a three-quarters sister to Thalia's Group 2-winning half-sister Calliope (Exceed And Excel). 

Meanwhile, the filly's third dam is Group 1 winner Bella Borghese (Belong To Me), who in turn produced Group 2 winner Bound For Earth (Northern Meteor). 

In 2017 Thalia produced a sister to Aquitaine - now named The Graces and she has raced once. 

Exceed And Excel will stand the upcoming breeding season at Darley's Kelvinside base for a career high fee of $132,000 (inc GST) and he will be joined on the roster this year by his Group 1-winning son Microphone, who will stand for an introductory fee of $38,500 (inc GST).


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