Exceed And Excel Filly Stakes Claim for the Golden Slipper

Mark Smith - Saturday March 7

The Exceed And Excel filly Minhaaj put up some sensational figures when winning on debut at Bendigo on February 15 and she showed that was no fluke when spacing her rivals by upwards of four and a half lengths in the Group III TBV Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) to open proceedings on Super Saturday at Flemington.All alone, Minhaaj stakes her claim for the Golden Slipper image Grant Courtney

With Daniel Stackhouse a last-minute replacement for Luke Nolen, Minhaaj tracked down the centre of the track and when Stackhouse asked for an effort, the daughter of Exceed And Excel put the race to bed in a matter of strides.

She defeated the favoured I Am Invincible filly Muntaseera by four and a half lengths with the Akeed Mofeed (GB) filly Succeed Indeed a short-half-head back in third.

“She began well and relaxed nicely early, I got her momentum going at the 500 metres but I hit the front a lot earlier than I wanted to. She got a very bright future,” Stakehouse said.

It was a fifth win in the race for David Hayes who trains in partnership with son Ben and Tom Dabernig.

“I loved the way she relaxed and ran out a strong 1200m so she will be heading to Sydney,” David Hayes said.    

“It was bad luck for Luke because he has done plenty of work on her but so has Stakehouse, he won on her and galloped her on Monday so he got the reward so that was terrific.Minhaaj - image Grant Courtney

“I have no hesitation in going to Sydney now. I don’t know if she will have enough money for the big one (Golden Slipper), but we will certainly head towards it. She  has hit form at the right time while a lot of the others are losing form.”   

A homebred for Shadwell Stud, Minhaaj is out of the Lonhro mare Telaawa who was purchased by Shadwell Australia for $180,000 out of the Yarraman Park draft at the 2013 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale

It took the daughter of Lonhro five starts to break her maiden at Ballarat and three starts later, after finishing third to the subsequent Group 1 Queensland Derby winner, Magicool at Caulfield, Telaawa was off to the breeding shed.

Advertisement

Minhaaj is the first foal of Telaawa who becomes the fourth consecutive member of her line to leave a stakes-winner.

Telaawa’s dam, the stakes-placed Danehill Dancer mare Magic Harmony left the talented Charmed Harmony (Hussonet) whose 13 wins included the Group III MRC Sandown Stakes, and the South African Group III winner Suyoof (Magic Albert).

Magic Harmony is a half-sister to Group III winner Life’s A Bounty (Bahamian Bounty) and the multiple Listed winner Miss Prospect (Rory’s Jester) who really clicked with Exceed And Excel leaving the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Reward For Effort.

Miss Prospect is also the dam of the millionaire Consular (Royal Academy), a multiple Listed winner who was runner-up in the Group 1 QTC Stradbroke Hcp, and the unbeaten Snippets filly Bahia who when mated with Exceed And Excel left the Group 1 ATC Golden Slipper winner Overreach as well as the highly promising, Group II ATC Expressway Stakes winner Standout and the talented Outreach who at his one start finished second to Vancouver in the Group III Canonbury Stakes before taking up residence at Widden Stud.

Telaawa foaled another Exceed And Excel filly last spring before missing to Hellbent.

Back on this day in 2004, Exceed And Excel scored a career-defining win in the Group 1 VRC Newmarket Handicap. Darley Stud’s flagship stallion takes his stakes tally to 166.

Advertisment

Race Result - Tbv Thoroughbred Breeders Stks Gr3 1200m

Flemington Track: Soft(6) Time: 1:10.88
1
Minhaaj
- 2f Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Telaawa (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: D & B Hayes & T Dabernig Rdr: D W Stackhouse 55
2
4.5
Muntaseera
- 2f I Am Invincible (AUS) x Moosirra (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Jye McNeil 55
I Am Invincible
3
4.6
Succeed Indeed
- 2f Akeed Mofeed (GB) x Lucky Morna (AUS) (Ferocity (AUS))
Tnr: L & T Corstens Rdr: D Dunn 55
4
5.8
Geist
- 2f Medaglia D'Oro (USA) x Wraith (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Damian Lane 55
5
7.1
D'Arbanville
- 2f All Too Hard (AUS) x La Renaissance (FR) (Astronomer Royal (USA))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: Craig Williams 55
6
7.8
Incredulous Dream
- 2f Press Statement (AUS) x Incredulous (AUS) (Keep The Faith (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: John Allen 55
7
11.6
Jyoti
- 2f Akeed Mofeed (GB) x She Can Skate (AUS) (Bradbury's Luck (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: Jamie Kah 57
More Reading...
Yes Yes Yes It’s Been a Big Week for Kate Nivison!
This time last week passionate owner breeder Kate Nivison was basking in the success of having bred and sold a $1.7million Extreme Choice colt at Inglis Easter and today she was enjoying a different sort of success as a winning owner at Kembla.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday April 15
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
El Vencedor Primed for Hong Kong
It is full steam ahead for the connections of El Vencedor, as the star galloper jets off to Hong Kong on Thursday in preparation for the Gr.1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on April 27.
Belclare Seeking to Find Best Form Back in Australia
Dual Group One winner Belclare’s return home for a three-race campaign didn’t go to plan earlier this year, and now she is back on the other side of the Tasman to try and get her preparation back on track.
One to Watch – Kembla
The juvenile maiden at Kembla on Tuesday was an intriguing affair featuring a number of well-bred and very expensive colts on debut, but the winner was a stylish first starter filly by Capitalist that broke 56 seconds for her debut win.
Minhaaj Chips Away at her $1.8 million Purchase Price
Punters gave the bookies a shellacking on Derby Day at Flemington, and they reserved plenty to plonk on James McDonald on the John O’Shea-trained Minhaaj in the day’s finale, the Group III Furphy Sprint (1100m).
FBAA Professional Development Day- Food for Thought
The Federation of Bloodstock Agents Australia’s third Continued Professional Development Day was again held at Randwick Racecourse on Tuesday 8th April 2025 and was hosted by MC Vin Cox.
Almanzor Mare Benefits from Maturity
Time was always going to benefit Mehzebeen and the Almanzor mare continues to emphasise that in her five-year-old season.
Best On Breeding
If your attention was focused on Black Caviar Lightning Stakes day at Flemington on February 15, chances are you missed an exception carer debut by a two-year-old filly at Bendigo.
Who Do You Pick? Star Mares of Tomorrow
In chatting with our guest Jim Clarke this week on our Tara Talks Racing podcast we discussed a topic that will no doubt spark plenty of interest from our audience, if you could have one three year-old filly to take forward and race next season at four, who would it be?