Exceed And Excel juveniles dominate Down Under

Exceed And Excel continued his dominance of the world's most prestigious two-year-old races, siring the first two home in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield on 22 February, when unbeaten filly Earthquake defeated her paternal half-brother Jabali in a thrilling race.

Despite drawing the unfavourable barrier 15, Earthquake was still sent out favourite in the Blue Diamond and did not let her supporters down, peeling off the leader’s backs at the top of the straight and sprinting clear to record a one-and-a-half length triumph over a gutsy Jabali.

Exceed And Excel also sired the first and second in another of Australia’s G1 feature juvenile contests, the Golden Slipper, when Overreach defeated Sidestep. Adding to today's remarkable achievement was that in third was Cornrow, the first foal out of the Stakes-winning Exceed And Excel mare Baby Corn.

A homebred for Darley, Earthquake is the fifth foal to race and fifth winner out of the Stakes-placed Marauding mare Cataclysm. Earthquake’s three-parts sister by Commands is the talented Stakes winner Palomares.

Exceed And Excel’s first G1 winner was Reward For Effort, who was victorious in the 2009 Blue Diamond Stakes. Today, Earthquake became his second Blue Diamond winner and his eighth G1 winner overall. She will now aim to become the first horse since young Darley stallion Sepoy to claim the coveted Blue Diamond-Golden Slipper double, a feat many think she can achieve as she is now clear favourite for the A$3.5 million contest which is due to take place at Rosehill on 5 April.

Exceed And Excel stands at Dalham Hall Stud at a fee of £35,000 alongside his triple G1-winning son Helmet who stands at £8,000. Sepoy, who like Helmet is now welcoming his first northern hemisphere foal, is standing at a fee of £15,000.