Dan Excels again

Dan Excel (who previously raced under the name Dunboyne Express before relocating to Hong Kong) ensured his annual trip to Singapore was once again successful as he landed the hugely valuable Singapore Airlines International Cup for the second straight year.

Sent straight to the front under Tommy Berry, Dan Excel dictated the pace throughout the ten-furlong contest and comfortably held off the challenge from Military Attack close to home to win in style.

Now the winner of over €5 million in prize money, Dan Excel came into today’s race off the back of a creditable third in the Champions Mile at Sha Tin – a race won by his paternal half-brother and the world’s highest rated horse Able Friend. Dan Excel himself won the Champions Mile in 2013.

Bred by John Connaughton, he is out of the Polish Precedent mare Love Excelling, a half-sister to Oaks heroine Love Divine, who herself is the dam of St Leger winner Sixties Icon.

Shamardal has now sired 13 individual Stakes winners this year, including the aforementioned Able Friend, plus Derby hopeful Zawraq. He is also sire of 1,000 Guineas second Lucida, one of 11 horses to have gained places in Black type contests in 2015.

Dan Excel’s win brings the Darley sires’ tally of G1 winners for the weekend to three, following Flamberge (Exceed And Excel) in the Goodwood Handicap in Australia and Night Of Thunder (Dubawi) putting up another superb performance to take yesterday’s Lockinge Stakes.