Sires by Bloodline – Exceed and Excel

Turning 23 this year, Darley heavy hitter Exceed and Excel was the Champion Australian Sire in 2012/2013 and has left over 200 stakes-winners worldwide during a long and glittering stud career and the future of his legacy as a sire of sires rests largely with a trio of Group I winning colts.

Exceed and Excel has had mixed success as a sire of sires with a couple of his early high profile sons to go to stud in Helmet and Excelebration (IRE) falling short of expectation, while Reward for Effort proved a prolific source of winners in Victoria albeit short of G1 standard. Another G1 winning son Outstrip has also achieved notable success as the sire of Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip (Fr).

Exceed and Excel may be saving the best for last with three Group I winning sons Bivouac, Exceedance and Microphone given every opportunity to succeed.

A triple Group I winning sprinter, Bivouac was a superstar for Godolphin winning the ATC Golden Rose, the VRC Newmarket Handicap and the VRC Sprint Classic beating Nature Strip and will have his first yearlings at the sales next year, while his stablemate Microphone was an outstanding 2YO that won the Group I ATC Sires Produce Stakes and was second in the Golden Slipper.

Microphone was retired a year earlier than Bivouac, so he will have his first runners in the spring.

Vinery Stud have already enjoyed success with Exceed and Excel stallion Headwater, a most reliable source of winners, and will be hoping Exceedance can up the ante. He won the Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes beating Bivouac and will also have his first runners next season.