Champion sire Exceed and Excel added a 17th Group I winner to his tally when exciting gelding Excellent Proposal rose to the top of Hong Kong’s four-year-old pecking order with an impressive win in the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, a result that strengthened trainer John Size’s hand for the remaining two legs of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m).
Size saddled two of Hong Kong’s brightest talents in the first leg of the three-race age-restricted series and they both sparkled, finishing first and second: Excellent Proposal bounced back to his budding best, while Toronado (IRE) gelding Lucky Express displayed his customary tenacity and vigor.
“I ran a few tests over him (Excellent Proposal) to see if there was anything amiss but I couldn’t find anything and I galloped on the Saturday and trialled him on the Tuesday there was nothing untoward going on with the horse at all – I was always of the opinion that he needed a race to switch him on,” the 11-time champion trainer said.
The son of Exceed And Excel won three races on the bounce this season ranging from 1400m to 1800m, before returning a weakening 11th-placed effort last start following a three-month freshen-up.
“He has a very good temperament, he is a very quiet horse and he probably just missed the competition – he hadn’t raced for three months and it looks like that is correct because today he savaged the line, he knew what he was doing and he was there to win the race,” Size said.
A $200,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Fernrigg Farm draft for Mitchell Bloodstock, Excellent Proposal arrived in Hong Kong as a PP (Privately Purchased Horse) on a rating of 75 after beginning his career in Australia.
He won three of four starts for Richard and Michael Freedman winning at Kembla, Randwick and Rosehill.
“Early in the season in September and October I had to ask him for something to see if he was actually capable of running the distance and his last win over 1800 metres was the deciding factor that we should probably run him in the series,” said Size.
“So, therefore I needed to give him some time off to recharge his batteries and get a bit of maturity and strength into him physically. I think at this point I am happy with the outcome so far and he’ll just continue on to the next two legs and hopefully he can be competitive in them as well.”
Bred by Holloway Equine, Excellent Proposal is the only winner from stakes-placed Pivotal mare Procrastination (GB), who died in 2017 after leaving four foals, all of them colts.
Bred by Darley in the Northern Hemisphere, Procrastination was a daughter of Australian Group II winner Dilly Dally, who started her stud career in Europe for Darley before returning here in 2012.
Dilly Dally has two daughters at stud here and she is now retired.
