Newgate Farm graduates enjoyed widespread success on Saturday , but the star of the show was undoubtedly stunning three year-old Exceed and Excel colt Exceedance, who won the Group III ATC San Domenico Stakes in style at Rosehill
Exceedance is the type of horse that can get you to the races just to watch in the parade ring, but he is not just a pretty face, he has a motor that makes him one of the most exciting young horses in training.
The Team Hawkes-trained colt was facing a sharp rise in class for this assignment, but rose to the challenge, cruising past Godolphin’s highly rated colt Bivouac to win the 1200 metre sprint by two lengths and has now won two of three starts and over $118,000 in prizemoney..
“He really had to run today, if we took him out then it might be wet again in three weeks ” said co-trainer Michael Hawkes.
“So we decided to run and he made it look easy. I told Tommy to ride him like the best horse and he did.”
It has been an exciting couple of weeks for Berry after guiding the impressive I Am Invincible filly Libertini to victory in the Silver Shadow Stakes.
“He’s an exciting colt,” Berry said.
“It was a bit like Libertini last week. We had to see him come back and do it but do it and he did.
“He’s a lovely ride for a colt and has a great attitude.”
A $180,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Vinery Stud from the Newgate Farm draft, Exceedance was bred by Nick Vass and foaled and raised at Newgate. He is the first living foal of stakes-winning Thorn Park mare Bonnie Mac, a half-sister to three stakes winners, the Group III winners Upham and Intimate Moment as well as stakes-winner Gold Rum.
Allam Racing/Andrew Williams Bloodstock purchased Bonnie Mac, in foal to Golden Slipper winner Capitalist, for $375,000 out of the Newgate consignment at this year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
She had another colt by Exceed and Excel, which made $125,000 at the Magic Millions this year when offered by Newgate.
Bonnie Mac has a yearling Sebring filly and is awaiting the birth of her Capitalist foal.
Other Newgate graduates to taste success were Defiant Dancer (3g Foxwedge x Ennerdale (GB), who won by five lengths at Morphettville and Veranese (4m Not a Single Doubt x Kalika), who won at Eagle Farm, while high class stakes-winner So Si Bon (6g So You Think x Black Minx) was a brave second in the Group I MRC Memsie Stakes.