Twenty years after his sire claimed the Group 1 feature, Cylinder gave Exceed And Excel a fitting farewell in Saturday’s $1,500,000 Group 1 Yulong Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.
The Group 1 winning streak of the exquisite I Am Invincible mare Imperatriz ended at six when she found the 6.5kg weight pull of the 3-year-old Cylinder difficult to overcome, to go down fighting by one and a quarter lengths.
The straight track specialist The Astrologist (Zoustar), was a long-neck back in third.
After missing the winning ride on In Secret last year when falling the Sires’ Produce Stakes, Jamie Kah came widest of all down the straight on the Godolphin homebred to make it three wins in the first five races on Super Saturday.
With three Group II wins, a Group III, and a second in the Golden Slipper, Cylinder advances his record to five wins, three seconds, and a third from 13 starts with earnings of $3,691,740 with his Group 1 breakthrough.
“He came to the races today, and we knew he was bang on and ready to go. He delivered,” stable representative Nacim Delmi said.
“We added a tongue tie on the horse as he had a bad habit at the stables, but early on, as a two-year-old, he had an accident in the barriers and broke his jaw.
“He’s always been a little bit tricky with his mouth and we wanted to try that on. Jamie came and galloped him on Tuesday and when she came back she was like, ‘he was awesome’.
“We were very confident today.
“Ideally, we wanted to be positive, and we didn’t just want to be following The Astrologist, but we were very happy she earned her position and the way when the mare (Imperatriz) attacked back were were a little bit worried but when they went past the clock tower we knew he had a good margin on her and it was going to be hard to beat.”
James Cummings added; “It is an important race to us, really. It is with great sadness that we retired Exceed And Excel from the roster this week and amazing that in the same week one champion exits the stage and potentially the next potential champion stallion joins the roster.”
For a visibly emotional Jamie Kah, the result topped an incredible day.
“I thought I was a tough person but I’m not today. Even (winning) the last race (Sires) was massive for me, to get through that and have it behind me,” Kah said.
“This is for Dean Holland. I couldn’t imagine anyone riding that horse as well as he did last year, and I felt so happy that I gave him the opportunity to win the Newmarket.
“Hopefully he is watching down on us today. I can’t believe that happened. Obviously, it was a horrible day for me last year but I’m so happy that Dean got to win on that horse.
“He was an amazing person.
“Today has been amazing and for Godolphin, they have always supported me. Last year I didn’t get the opportunity to win the Newmarket for them but Dean Holland did which is great.
“It is great to get over last year and start again and I don’t think any day will top today.
“I thought he was a super chance but that was easy for him. He was never in doubt. I don’t think I’ll get a better day. That’s for sure.
“That was exactly where I wanted to be in the race. I wanted to be positive but have the cover if I could and I wanted to be behind The Astrologist.
“He took me exactly where I wanted to be and when I pushed the button he was just electric. I knew they’d be coming late but he was putting up a fight. He was so tough over the last 100 (metres).
“I think in the last 100 metres I nearly stopped and started crying. I can’t really remember it.”
Cylinder is the 19th Group 1 winner for the retiring Exeed And Excel and comes from the family of another legendary Darley pensioner, Lonhro.
A half-brother to dual Group III winner Parisal, Cylinder is one of three winners from as many to race for the Group III winning Street Cry (IRE) mare Circular, who won five and placed in eight of her 20 starts.
Her highlight in the Listed Matron Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley under Joao Moreira.
Circular’s dam Hexameter (Octagonal) is a Sydney-winning three-quarter sister to Lonhro, Niello, and Shannara.
Circular has a yearling three-quarter sister to Cylinder by Bivouac and colt foal by Brazen Beau.
The daughter of Street Cry has a nice early service to Extreme Choice.
