Exceed And Excel Colt Makes Winning Debut in Canonbury Stakes

Mark Smith - Saturday February 2

Sent off an odds-on favourite off the back of a couple of barrier trial wins, the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained McLaren looked the consummate professional on debut in Saturday's Group III Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens.

McLarenJames McDonald settled the son of Exceed And Excel just off the pace set by Exceed The Star before taking control at the 300 metres to safely hold the determined finish of the $750,000 Redoute's Choice colt Spring Loaded by three-quarters of a length with the Wandjina colt Deep Chill one and three-quarter lengths back in third.

"It's good to get it done but there's a lot of room for improvement there," Peter Snowden said.

"What I did like he began well and when it looked like he might start to go too keenly he came back off. I'm glad James gave him the opportunity to do that and he did it well, which is a big plus.

"He's only a young horse having his first start, you can't do any more than win and he did that well today.

"What we do now depends on the horse. We will see how he comes through the run.

"He's not a gross horse and he might need a bit more of this to get him to settle but he's an exciting colt. What he does at home is really, really good. I've only let him go once and that was enough for me to see what he can do.

Snowden praised McLaren's (image Stave Hart) powerful army of owners that includes Newgate Farm, China Horse Club and Winstar Farm.

Advertisement

"It's a big tick for them too. They put a lot into it. If you can get one that's all you need. If it's the right one, they are home," Snowden concluded.

A $380,000 purchase by China Horse Club/Newgate/Winstar out of the Baramul Stud draft at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, McLaren is a half-brother to the Group III Maribyrnong Plate runner Cao Cao (Fastnet Rock).

His dam Serenada, a 4-time winning daughter of Encosta de Lago, is a half-sister to Group II Caulfield Sprint winner and Group 1 WRC Telegraph Handicap runner-up First Command), as well as the star Hong Kong Sprinter One World (Danehill Dancer) a Group II winner and multiple Group 1, placed.

Serenada's dam River Serenade (Hurricane Sky) is a sister to the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate heroine River Dove who is the dam of Group II Silver Slipper Stakes winner and young Vinery stallion Headwater, who like McLaren is a son of Exceed And Excel.

Serenada had a Snitzel filly last spring after her colt foal by that stallion had died after birth the previous year. She was bred back to Snitzel last year.

McLaren becomes the 154th stakes-winner for Darley Stud's trailblazing reverse shuttler Exceed And Excel who covered 76 mares last spring at a fee of $82,500.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Golden Rose Colts – Sires of the Future
The $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose (1400m) this Saturday offers the winner far more than prizemoney and assuming it’s a colt he is given a golden ticket to a commercial stud career, so let’s take a look at this year’s contenders, who would you want on your stallion roster in 2026?
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.
€1.9million Sale-Topping Colt Wins G3 Somerville Stakes
The Group III Somerville Stakes (7f) was run at Newmarket overnight with the Godolphin blue carried by exciting Night of Thunder colt Distant Storm, who they purchased for a sale-topping €1.9million at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale earlier this year.
30 Runners in Goffs Million!
The stage is set for Europe’s richest two-year-old race, the Goffs Million (7f), which has attracted a maximum field of 30 runners at the Curragh this Saturday and the €1 million contest, with prize money down to 10th, is only open to graduates of last year’s Goffs Orby Sale.
Toronado’s Snow Mercy Takes Out G3 Scarborough Stakes
Coming off the back of a maiden victory at Morphettville recently at just her second start, the Phillip Stokes trained Snow Mercy highlighted her future class with an impressive victory in the Group 3 MVRC Scarborough Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Wootton Bassett Colt Wins G2 Stutt Stakes
The racing and breeding world was shocked earlier this week by the passing of champion sire Wootton Bassett (GB), whose talented son West of Swindon picked the right race in which to break his maiden when scoring a bold front running victory in the $300,000 Group II MVRC Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Manhattan Rain Gold Rush in WA
Geisel Park won’t be the only WA breeder on board when the first locally-conceived 2yo crop of its Group 1 sire Manhattan Rain get mobile this season.
A New Benchmark for Edinburgh Stud
An emotional Ian Smith watched on as bidding reached $1 million for Edinburgh Stud’s stunning Exceed And Excel colt out of the Smoke Glacken mare Smokin’ Alice (USA) to set a new benchmark for the stud.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Richard Johnston has bred some very good horses under his Bylong Park banner including triple Group I winner Think It Over and an Anders three year-old he bred and races was an eye-catching debut winner at Hawkesbury on Thursday.
$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.