By Elaine Belval
In the past few decades, many North Hemisphere stallions have shuttled to Australia and other Southern Hemisphere destinations, but only a handful of Southern Hemisphere stallions have shuttled to the US or Europe (the latest news is that top Australian sire Redoute’s Choice, a son of Danehill, will shuttle to the Aga Khan Studs in France from Australia in 2013). And of those that have, most have not made much of an impression. Southern Halo led Argentinian sire lists for more than ten years, but aside from leading runner and sire More Than Ready, he did not leave much in his few crops conceived in Kentucky. Leading Australian sire Encosta de Lago came to Ireland, where other than a handful of decent winners, he didn’t have the success expected of this brilliant son of Fairy King. Perhaps that is why globally accomplished sires such as Danehill are so highly valued, because they are so rare.
It is only fitting that a son of Danehill is starting to make a name for himself in both hemispheres. Exceed and Excel was bred in Australia by Ascot Breeding Partnership and is out of the US-bred mare Patrona. She is by Lomond, but she is a rare mare in that she has leading runners but modest sires Carry Back AND Citation in her pedigree. Patrona is the dam of five winners, including the SW Enemy of Average. Exceed and Excel’s second dam is the GSW Gladiolus, who produced three SWs in the US, Canada, and Europe.
A foal of 2000, Exceed and Excel won two of four starts at two, including the G2 Todman Slipper Trial. At three, he won five of seven starts and was named Champion sprinter of the 2003/04 season. The bay won his final race in Australia, the G1 Newmarket H. at six furlongs, in March of 2004 before journeying to England, where he finished a non-threatening 19th in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket. That was his final race before he was retired to stud in Australia.
His first crop contained four GSWs, the best of which was G2SW Wilander. His leading runners in Australia include G1 winners Helmet and Reward for Effort. Exceed and Excel also shuttled to England, siring his first European crop of foals in 2006. This group counts GSWs Infamous Angel (G2 Lowther S.) and Masamah (G2 King George S.) among them. Subsequent European-bred runners include G1 winners Excelebration and Margot Did.
Recently, Exceed and Excel had two 2-year-old SWs at the “Glorious Goodwood” meeting in England. Bungle Inthejungle won the G3 Molecomb S. for owners Christopher Wright and Emily Asprey, breeder Stratford Place Stud, and trainer Mick Channon. And Heavy Metal won the G2 Richmond S. for owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, breeder Darley, and trainer Mark Johnston.
Exceed and Excel has over 50 SWs in both Australia and Europe, with 12 GSWs in Europe and six in Australia (he has two G1 winners in each hemisphere). And while his progeny do have a handful of stakes wins at nine and 10 furlongs, the majority of them prefer distances under nine furlongs. He sires precocious offspring, as over 60% of his SWs are two-year-old SWs.
Like his sire Danehill, Exceed and Excel is one of those rare stallions that exceed in both hemispheres. He stood the 2012 northern season at Dalham Hall Stud for £22,500 and is currently covering mares at Darley Australia in New South Wales for AUS $66,000. He is proving to be a value anywhere.