158th Stakes Winner for Exceed And Excel

Mark Smith - Saturday May 18

Godolphin's consistent Exceed And Excel gelding Isaurian scored a well-deserved maiden stakes win in Saturday's Listed Chief De Beers Quality (1100m) at Doomben but the veteran Straturbo certainly made him earn it.

Sent off the short-priced favourite under James McDonald, the James Cummings-trained 4yo defeated the 9yo gelding Straturbo (Straturbo) by a short half-head with the luckless mare Good Time (Time Thief) a neck back in third. (photo Racing Queensland). 

Advertisement


Placed three times previously at Listed level, Isaurian advances his record to 5 wins, 2 seconds and 2 thirds from 12 starts with earnings of $303,740.

"We brought him up here to get some black-type and he has done that now. He is a pretty handy horse and I think we will leave him here," Cummings told AAP.

"There are some races coming up which will suit him including the Moreton Cup (at Doomben on June 1). After that we can look a bit further."

"We brought him up here to get some black-type and he has done that now. He is a pretty handy horse and I think we will leave him here," Cummings said.

"There are some races coming up which will suit him including the Moreton Cup (at Doomben on June 1). After that we can look a bit further."

A full brother to Group III winning juvenile Ottoman and a half-brother to the Listed ATC Dulcify Hcp runner-up Nemrud (Reset), Isaurian is out of the Elusive Quality (USA) mare Byzantine, a half-sister to 5-time Group 1 winner Mummify.

Purchased by Darley for $160,000 out of the Redman Park draft 2008 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Byzantine is a sister to Shabtis who is the dam of the Group III MVRC Champagne Stakes winner Take Pride who is by Exceed And Excel's son Reward For Effort.

Byzantine has not had a live foal in five seasons. She missed to Exceed And Excel last spring.

Isaurian becomes the 158th stakes-winner for Darley Stud's flagship stallion Exceed And Excel whose 157th stakes-winner came a day earlier at York when Magnetic Charm (GB) won the Listed York Oaks Farm Stables Fillies' Stakes, a race won 12 months earlier by Exceed And Excel's Threading (IRE).

Advertisment
More Reading...
Steve Davis Awarded NZTBA Personality of the Year
Bloodstock auctioneer and media personality Steve Davis has been honoured as the 2025 NZTBA Personality of the Year, in recognition of a lifetime of contribution to the New Zealand thoroughbred breeding industry.
Glorious Goodwood Day 1- Bluebloods, Bargains and Tragedy
The famed Glorious Goodwood meeting got underway overnight with three Group races contested that saw all of the favourites rolled with a new G1 winner for Justify, a first stakes-winner for a young Frankel sire son and a return to form for Golden Eagle winner Lake Forest.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
This will be the last Juvenile Trial Watch story for this season with all these youngsters to turn three on Friday and there was plenty of action with eight heats won by 2YOs and two more of this season’s G3 2YO’s North England and Memo stepping out against the older G1 stars.
$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.
Exceedance 2yo Express Class Surprises On Debut
Surprisingly unwanted in the betting, having won two of his four jumpouts prior to making his debut, the Gerard Maloney trained Exceedance 2yo Express Class got the better of the race favourite to make a winning debut in the Sportsbet Race Previews Handicap (1000m) and Sandown.
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.
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.
Wakefield Gears Up for Another Busy Season
Wakefield Stud is preparing for another busy breeding season in 2025, as the business continues its re-emergence in the industry after coming under new ownership in 2024.
Savabeel Stakes-Winner in the Making
A patient approach with Force Of Nature is being rewarded in spades, with the son of Savabeel winning his way toward black-type assignments.
Tenth Winner for Kings Legacy
King’s Legacy has had a promising start to his stud career with his tenth winner arriving on Tuesday while at the Rosehill trials one of his unraced youngsters produced a slick trial win to hold out Group performing colts Skyhook and West of Swindon.