A $250,000 Inglis Easter purchase from Newgate Farm for Cambridge Stud / McEvoy Mitchell Racing / Belmont Bloodstock, well bred Exceed and Excel filly Excenia opened her account at Bendigo on Tuesday.
Excenia salutes at Bendigo - image Brett Holburt / Racing Photos
Trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, the two year-old made her debut with a sixth in a Listed race at Flemington won by Shining Smile on March 1 and always looked a good thing with a drop in grade for this 1100m maiden.
Not quickly away, Excenia settled back in the field and wide for Mick Dee, but hit the line hard doing her best work late to win by three-quarters of a length.
Foaled and raised at Newgate for a partnership that includes SF Bloodstock, Excenia is the first foal of Xilong, a brilliantly fast Group II winner by Deep Field that was trained by Tony McEvoy.
Excenia is co-trained by Tony McEvoy, who also trainer her dam - image Racing Photos
“I was hoping Mick would ride her patiently today. His plan A with the rail at nine metres was to go forward, but she had to jump clean and clearly she didn't do that, so he went to plan B, which is what the great jockeys do,” said Tony McEvoy.
“Her mother (Xilong) was a star for me and could have been a real star. She just didn't have the temperament.
“A big thanks to Brennan and Jo Lindsay from Cambridge Stud. They purchased this filly at the sales and she's a really talented filly, still very immature as you can see in her frame, she's still got more to come.
“She's got talent and it was lovely to see that. Being owned by breeders, we placed her very aggressively first up, and she just didn't get it quite right.”
She got it right today and will take confidence from the win.
Newgate sold a yearling colt by Stay Inside from Xilong at Magic Millions for $500,000 to Neasham & Archibald Racing/Kia Ora Stud/William Johnson Bloodstock and the mare had a colt last spring by State of Rest (IRE) before visiting Ozzmosis.
