Thermal Current Back to Best

Tara Madgwick - Thursday November 8
Eight year-old Exceed and Excel gelding Thermal Current had not won a race since February 2017, but ended the drought in style at Flemington on Oaks Day with a dazzling last to first win in the Listed VRC Absolut Stakes (1000m).



Prepared by Darren Weir and ridden by Craig Williams, Thermal Current had been racing consistently and rediscovered his best form to fly home from last under a cold ride from Craig Williams to snatch a narrow win.

Thermal Current on the left in lime green - images Grant Courtney"I did push the button extremely late, but he really flew when I asked him," said Williams.

A homebred for Contract Racing, Thermal Current has the overall record of eight wins and 15 placings from 53 starts with prizemoney in excess of $800,000.

"You have to do everything right on this horse to win and he(Craig) did it," said Darren Weir.

"He has to be ridden really quiet, so he can relax and show that sharp turn of foot."

Thermal Current is out of stakes-winner Soaressa, a half-sister to Group I winner Eagle Way and stakes-winners Assertive Eagle and Impressive Eagle.

Soaressa has a yearling filly by Exceed and Excel and had a colt this spring by Astern.

Thermal Current is the fourth stakes-winner this season for Darley's champion sire Exceed and Excel and continues a great run of success over the Flemington Carnival for the Darley sires.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Astute Bloodstock Swoop on Gilgai Farm Fillies
Gilgai Farm blazed through the second and final session of Inglis Premier Book 1 producing four of the top six yearlings sold on Monday and they included fillies by Kermadec and Written By that provided benchmark sales for their respective sires.
$1.8 Million Exceed and Excel Colt from G1 Winner Platelet
A protracted bidding duel marked the sale of Lot 640, a powerhouse colt by Exceed and Excel from dual Group I winning sprinter Platelet with Hawkes Racing prevailing over a persistent Coolmore.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday March 3
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$750,000 Too Darn Hot Colt Tops Inglis Premier Book 1 Finale
An extraordinary day for leading Victorian nursery Gilgai Farm capped off a Premier Sale Book 1 for the ages, which ended with significant increases in all key fiscal metrics.
Best On Breeding
Placed behind subsequent Melbourne Cup heroine Empire Rose in the New Zealand Oaks, Eau D'Etoile (Sir Tristram) became that rarest of broodmares with three Group 1 winners and a Listed stakes-winner to her credit on the way to earning Broodmare Of The Year status and that should have been her crowning achievement.
Sires With Winners - Monday March 2
Here is the full list of 22 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Inglis Premier Escalates with Incredible Momentum
The 2026 Premier Yearling Sale today concluded with strong Book 2 trade, wrapping up a memorable week of action at Oaklands with the top price on Tuesday shared at $220,000 by colts sired by Zousain and Extreme Warrior.
2026 Golden Slipper Order of Entry Updated March 3
Time is on the wing as we head towards the $5million Group I ATC Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 21 with two new contenders emerged from the pack to secure their place after winning key lead up races last Saturday while previously unbeaten colts Warwoven and Fireball were underwhelming.
Can Well Written Be Rolled in $4million The Kiwi?
David Archer has participated in more than enough of racing’s big dances to know that on a racetrack nothing can be taken for granted or predicted with absolute accuracy.
15th G1 Winner for Exceed and Excel
Turning 20 this year, Darley’s champion sire Exceed and Excel has just finished a super successful Magic Millions Sale that saw him with 24 yearlings average $398,542 to be the third leading sire by average and in South Africa on Saturday he posted a 15th Group I winner.