Red letter day

Kulgrinda topped off a red-letter day for her sire Exceed And Excel, leading home a Darley-sired quinella in the G3 R N Irwin Stakes over 5.5f at Morphettville, South Australia, April 13.

Already a three-time Listed winner, the victory was Kulgrinda’s first Group race success, the five-year-old mare prevailing in a tight finish over Strategic mare Platelet.

Following the earlier successes of Guelph in the G1 ATC Sires’ Produce and Safeguard in the G3 Kindergarten Stakes, Kulgrinda rounded off a Group race treble on the day for Australia’s leading sire Exceed And Excel.

A homebred for David and Jenny Moodie, Kulgrinda is from the family of G1 Oakleigh Plate winner River Dove and G2-winning Commands gelding First Command. She is now the winner of nine races and over $500,000 in prizemoney.

Exceed And Excel, is the sire of 26 Group winners including Darley’s triple G1 winner Helmet, Excelebration, Margot Did, Reward For Effort and this season’s G1 winning two-year-old fillies Overreach and Guelph.

The sire of 14 individual Stakes winners worldwide in 2013, more than any other stallion, Exceed And Excel is standing at Dalham Hall Stud at a fee of £35,000 October 1st SLF, while Helmet stands at Kildangan Stud at a fee of €10,000.