Godolphin picked up another valuable prize when the 4yo Exceed And Excel gelding Athelric captured Saturday’s $300,000 The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange.
Ridden by rising start Zac Lloyd for James Cummings, Athelric defeated 6yo I Am Invincible gelding Key Lago by a half-length with a head back to the 4yo Mikki Isle (JPN) Draonstone, who flew home for third.
The winner of the Listed Queensland Day Stakes at Eagle Farm in June, Athelric advances his record to six wins, two seconds, and a third from 19 starts with earnings of $669,905.
“He is a very quick horse, which he showed there when matching them early before taking a sit,” Godolphin representative Paul Reid said.
“He was in the perfect spot, coming down the middle of the straight. We have had no luck earlier in the day with our horses getting too far back, leaving them too much to do.
‘This fellow was put right on the pace and did everything right.
“He was well placed today with a little drop in grade, and his timing was spot on.
Athelric is the only winner from three to race out of the winning Lonhro mare Ida, a $200,000 purchase by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ), on behalf of Jonathon Munz, the 2021 National Broodmare Sale.
A sister to the Group II Tulloch Stakes winner Old North out of Vengeance Of Rain and Dizelle’s dual stakes-winning half-sister Bernicia, Ida was carrying a colt by Sidestep and foaled a King’s Legacy filly on September 8.
