Sires by Bloodline – Exceed and Excel

Tara Madgwick - Thursday June 22

Turning 23 this year, Darley heavy hitter Exceed and Excel was the Champion Australian Sire in 2012/2013 and has left over 200 stakes-winners worldwide during a long and glittering stud career and the future of his legacy as a sire of sires rests largely with a trio of Group I winning colts.

Exceed and Excel has been a hugely successful sire in both hemispheres.

Exceed and Excel has had mixed success as a sire of sires with a couple of his early high profile sons to go to stud in Helmet and Excelebration (IRE) falling short of expectation, while Reward for Effort proved a prolific source of winners in Victoria albeit short of G1 standard. Another G1 winning son Outstrip has also achieved notable success as the sire of Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip (Fr).

Exceed and Excel may be saving the best for last with three Group I winning sons Bivouac, Exceedance and Microphone given every opportunity to succeed.

Bivouac is a triple Group I winning sprinter.

A triple Group I winning sprinter, Bivouac was a superstar for Godolphin winning the ATC Golden Rose, the VRC Newmarket Handicap and the VRC Sprint Classic beating Nature Strip and will have his first yearlings at the sales next year, while his stablemate Microphone was an outstanding 2YO that won the Group I ATC Sires Produce Stakes and was second in the Golden Slipper.

Advertisement

Microphone is a G1 winning 2YO.

Microphone was retired a year earlier than Bivouac, so he will have his first runners in the spring.

Exceedance won the G1 VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Vinery Stud have already enjoyed success with Exceed and Excel stallion Headwater, a most reliable source of winners, and will be hoping Exceedance can up the ante. He won the Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes beating Bivouac and will also have his first runners next season.

SIRE

Stud

Best Race Performance

Mares Covered 2021

Mares Covered 2022

2023 Fee

Exceed and Excel 2000

Darley, NSW

G1

90

63

$132,000

SIRE SONS

Bivouac 2016

Darley, NSW

G1

157

134

$66,000

Exceedance 2016

Vinery, NSW

G1

155

125

$33,000

Microphone 2016

Darley, NSW

G1

91

64

$33,000

Headwater 2012

Vinery, NSW

G2

136

100

$13,200

Sidestep 2010

Telemon Thoroughbreds, Qld

G2

17

5

$8,800

De Gaulle 2014

Bombora Downs, Vic

Unraced

9

48

$5,500

Standout 2016 Corumbene Stud, NSW G2   34 $5,500

Safeguard 2010

Mogumber Park, WA

G3

48

43

$4,400

Advertisment
More Reading...
Red Right Out Wins MM Queensland Qualifier
The 2026 Pacific Fair Magic Millions Polo & Showjumping will feature the third annual Queensland Off-The-Track Cup (QOTT) final on Sunday, 11 January 2026 at Doug Jennings Park on the Gold Coast. 
Sires With Winners - Sunday June 29
Here is the full list of 53 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Vinery Stud Announce Adam White as Interim Manager
From the 1st of July, Vinery Stud is pleased to announce the appointment of Adam White as Interim General Manager, following the resignation of Peter Orton. A dedicated and long-standing member of the Vinery team, Adam brings a wealth of experience and an in-depth understanding of both the business and the industry to this pivotal role.
Big Pedigrees Don’t Always Spell Black Type
The breeding of thoroughbreds is a very inexact science which is why we saw siblings to a pair of Group I winners fighting out the finish of a very pedestrian 1100m maiden at Ballarat on Sunday.
Better Than Ready’s Metalart Wins Group 3 W J Healy Stakes
Improving off a third in the Listed Lightning Handicap at Eagle Farm recently, 4yo Better Than Ready gelding Metalart stepped up to 1200m to record his first black type success, winning the Group 3 W J Healy Stakes.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 28
Here is the full list of 109 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Wootton Bassett Winning Whirl
It was a red letter day for Wootton Bassett (GB) at The Curragh overnight with a treble of winners highlighted by top class filly Whirl, who captured the Group I Pretty Polly Stakes (1m2f), a race won by the mighty Via Sistina in 2023.
Aussie 2YO SW for Tivaci
New Zealand-bred colt Matahga stamped himself as an exciting spring three-year-old prospect with a hard-fought victory in the A$120,000 Listed David Peacock Oaklands Plate (1400m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
How Much for a Snitzel Colt from Winx?
The record price for a yearling by the late champion sire Snitzel stands at $2.8million, but that benchmark looks set to be smashed at Inglis Easter next year.
Cambridge Stud to Sell Entire Draft at Karaka 2026
Leading thoroughbred nursery Cambridge Stud have committed their full support for NZB’s 2026 National Yearling Sales Series, with the announcement they will be selling 100% of their yearling stock at Karaka.