Tag: Mawj

Exceed And Excel Retires After ‘Journey of Excellence’

Former Australian champion sire and influential shuttle stallion Exceed And Excel (Aus) (Danehill), described as “an amazing horse from day dot”, has been retired from stud duties by Darley at the age of 23.

The announcement came on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the sprinter's victory in the G1 Newmarket H. at Flemington. After that win for owners Nick Moraitis and Alan Osburg, he was bought by Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum as a stallion prospect and made one final start for Tim Martin in the July Cup in the UK. Exceed And Excel was crowned champion sprinter in Australia in 2003/04, with seven wins from 11 career starts, six of which came at Group level, including the G2 Todman S.

Since those days he has compiled a comprehensive record at stud both in his native Australia and during shuttle stints at both Dalham Hall Stud in England and Kildangan Stud in Ireland. 

“We priced him at A$50,000 in his first season (at stud) and that was aggressive back then. He was immediately very popular, he covered a really good book first year and they sold very well,” said Darley Australia's Head of Stallions Alastair Pulford.

“His first crop was absolutely outstanding so he really announced himself as a stallion immediately. Exceedingly Good won the first two-year-old race of the season at Flemington and we thought, 'We're in business here'.

“A few months later he quinellaed both the divisions of the Blue Diamond Preludes. He got the Blue Diamond winner in his second crop, Reward For Effort, who went on to a career at stud himself.

“His sixth crop was an exceptional crop; we sent a lot of high-class mares of our own to him that year. The level of mares he was getting was high and that crop included the Golden Slipper winner Overreach, Guelph and Sidestep.”

One of the few reverse shuttlers to properly make a mark in Europe, Exceed And Excel's northern hemisphere Group/Grade 1 winners include Margot Did (GB), Excelebration (Ire), Outstrip (GB) and Mischief Magic (Ire). Most recently he was represented by a British Classic winner when the homebred Mawj (Ire) won last year's 1,000 Guineas for Godolphin and Saeed Bin Suroor. He is also the broodmare sire of Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and, through Outstrip, features as the grandsire of Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip (Fr).

Bred by the Ascot Breeding Partnership, Exceed And Excel is a son of Patrona (Lomond) and was bought for A$375,000 at the 2002 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. 

As he embarks on his retirement he is the sire of 18 Group/Grade 1 winners worldwide and is the only Australian-bred horse to have sired more than 200 stakes winners.The elite group of seven stallions to have achieved that feat is completed by his own sire Danehill, Sadler's Wells, Galileo (Ire), Dubawi (Ire), More Than Ready and Deep Impact (Jpn).

Along with the aforementioned Anthony Van Dyck, Exceed And Excel's record as a broodmare sire in Europe is extended by the Group 1 winners Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}). His sons remaining at stud in Ireland include Cotai Glory (GB), Bungle Inthejungle (GB) and Kuroshio (Aus).

Godolphin Australia's bloodstock manager Jason Walsh also paid tribute to the horse. He said, “He's been the most reliable source of early speed for so many seasons in both hemispheres, and his effect on the breed, and certainly on our organisation, globally has been profound.

“The other thing that makes him remarkable is the number of seasons he would have shuttled consecutively, just amazing.”

“He's been a pleasure to have around, from a personality perspective he's a true gentleman and has been a statesman in our stallion complex for so long. He's got some outstanding young stock coming through from some of our best-performed young mares.”

 

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‘The One We All Want To See’: Auguste Rodin Delivers Epic Turf Win

ARCADIA, USA — They got what they came for. Breeders' Cup Saturday delivered two storybook results right off the bat: victory for the fabled Cody's Wish (Curlin) and a 15th win at the championships for Frankie Dettori, whose thoughts of retirement are now firmly consigned to the past. And that was just in the first two races.

Amid a huddle of reporters by the tunnel entrance as the runners went to post for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, one of the most seasoned of American racing writers muttered, “The suspense is officially killing me. This is the one we all want to see.”

As it transpired, in the race with true world championship claims, we weren't far off seeing an American winner in the race traditionally dominated by visitors from Europe. Todd Pletcher's Up To The Mark (Not This Time) posted a valiant best-of-the-rest effort but there was no pegging back Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who became the first Derby winner since his fellow Coolmore campaigner High Chaparral (Ire) to go on to win the Turf.

With two duck eggs in the 2,000 Guineas and King George, Auguste Rodin had something of a will-he-won't-he reputation coming into this, but there is no denying the significant body of work he has compiled since winning the G1 Futurity Trophy a year ago. The Derby, Irish Derby, Irish Champion S., and now a Breeders' Cup, on three occasions beating King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who had created such a buzz on Champions' Day at Ascot only a fortnight earlier and who finished best of the other European-trained horses in fifth.

At the post-race press conference, Coolmore's MV Magnier referred to the ease with which Auguste Rodin had handled the dirt in training this week, as outlined in TDN on Friday, and he dangled the tantalising prospect of the colt staying in training next year to return for the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar.

“He's a remarkable racehorse and he's very well bred,” Magnier said. “We could stand him in Ashford [Kentucky]. We could stand him in Europe. Or we could keep him in training next year.

“I have this lovely romantic idea about maybe bringing him back for the Classic next year. Like Aidan said on Thursday, he was floating over the dirt. So there's a lot of options open. We'll have to decide in the next week or so.”

Aidan O'Brien, whose record seven wins in the Turf began with the aforementioned dual winner of the race, High Chaparral, lauded Ryan Moore's “incredible ride” and he wasn't the only one. In fact the only person playing it down was Moore himself, who hopped on third-placed Aesop's Fables (Ire) in the Turf Sprint after his victory and then hotfooted it to the airport for a 16-hour flight to Australia, where he will ride Melbourne Cup favourite Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) on Tuesday.

“I'm just delighted that a horse like him, he's vindicated himself now,” he said of Auguste Rodin. “Ending up on the rail was Plan F really. I just had to make the best of the opportunities as they came. He was getting a bad trip and I think he won because he's so good. I made the right call but it could have been the wrong call as well, but because I had so much horse he was able to overcome things. To me, he won despite things not going as smoothly as they should have done, and I think that marks him out to be a good horse.”

Moore had earlier been only inches away from another victory when thwarted by a dazzling stretch run by Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the Filly & Mare Turf. Any lingering doubts as to whether the four-year-old would see out the 10 furlongs were quashed as she tanked on round the bend after catching Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the shadow of the post. The lady was not for stopping after gathering her sixth Group/Grade 1 win, but she will be stopping at the Gosdens' Clarehaven Stables, with her owner/breeder Richard Thompson of Cheveley Park Stud swiftly declaring that Inspiral would remain in training at five.

That's great news for racing fans, who, if Inspiral makes it back to Royal Ascot, will almost certainly see Dettori back there too. He may not have confirmed it himself in the aftermath but it is clear that he is the one whom connections will want back in the saddle next year. 

A champion at two, a champion at three and surely this year's champion older filly, Inspiral's defection from Ascot on Champions Day was very much Santa Anita's gain.

“She was pointing for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot but the rain arrived and we didn't even declare her to run,” said her co-trainer John Gosden. “She's very opinionated and very strong-minded. You go with the flow with her, there's no point getting in an argument.”

He added, “I think what is particularly fulfilling is that she's owner-bred.”

Indeed, it was a good day for homebreds, especially those in the royal blue. After Godolphin America's early triumph with Cody's Wish, its two Newmarket stables delivered the closest finish of the day when Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) was cruelly denied on the line by Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Breeders' Cup Mile. Saeed Bin Suroor had got Godolphin's European campaign off to a great start in 2023 when saddling Mawj to win the 1,000 Guineas. After her Grade I win at Keeneland three weeks ago, she failed by the flimsiest of margins to emulate her half-brother Modern Games (Ire) in winning at the Breeders' Cup, with Master Of The Seas completing a rallying late charge from Charlie Appleby's stable, which also won last weekend's G1 Kameko Futurity Trophy with Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}). 

Appleby's Breeders' Cup record is quite extraordinary: he recorded his first ever Grade I winner here a decade ago when Outstrip (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) won the Juvenile Turf, and he maintained his 50% strike-rate by notching his tenth victory with Master Of The Seas. And, who knows, we could yet see Master Of The Seas and Mawj back again in 12 months' time as both are remaining in training and heading next to Dubai.

It was perhaps too much to hope that Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) could offer up the perfect finale and clean sweep for Europe in the turf races on Saturday. The bonny little chestnut has been a pleasure to watch in the mornings, sauntering around Santa Anita as if he's been there all his life. He has already perhaps surpassed the wildest dreams of owners Steve and Jolene De'Lemos and trainer Adam West by winning the G1 Nunthorpe S. in August, and he has brought them all on the journey of a lifetime to California. The bullet-fast four-year-old broke as sharply as ever but just couldn't sustain his early exertions, finishing an honourable fourth, a length and a quarter off the winner Nobals, a gelded (obviously) son of Frankel's brother Noble Mission (GB).

There was no Hollywood ending for the most enthusiastic set of connections to arrive in LA this week, but the dream lives on.

 

 

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Master of the Seas Leads Home Godolphin 1-2 in the Breeders’ Cup Mile

Under normal circumstances, drawing the outside gate in a one-mile race, on turf, going two turns is a kiss of death. At Santa Anita, well, maybe not so much.

Sent off as the 33-10 second betting favorite behind Japan's superstar miler Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), Godolphin's Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) produced a stunning late burst of speed to run down the commonly owned Mawj (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), whose half-brother Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was victorious in last year's Mile at Keeneland and in that wild Juvenile Turf at Del Mar the year prior. Adding to Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire})'s success in the 2021 Mile–one of his three winners that afternoon–it was a third straight score in the race for Sheikh Mohammed's far-flung operation and the third on the trot for Dalham Hall's irrepressible Dubawi.

The 5-year-old was void of early speed and was angled down into about the three path before settling at the back of the field early on as Win Carnelian (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) was kept company by Astronomer (Air Force Blue). When the latter went on with it into the turn, that allowed Mawj, victorious in the GI QE II Challenge Cup when last seen, to sit the ideal stalk-and-wait trip from third. Master of the Seas, meanwhile, was still back second-last down the backstretch as the leaders went past the half in a searching :45.37, and Buick sat against him, preparing to roll the dice with one long run.

Asked to kick passing the three-eighths, Master of the Seas had a single option–take the overland route into the lane and hope for the best. Set down outside of Du Jour (Temple City) once heads were turned for home, Master of the Seas sprinted right past Songline at the furlong grounds, and although Mawj was still going great guns up front, Master of the Seas was up on the wire to take it by a long-nose margin in a finish that looked a fair bit closer to the naked eye. Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed), perhaps a bit handier to the pace than expected in his third trip to the Mile, turned in his typically honest effort to round out the trifecta.

Lure, Six Perfections (Fr), Goldikova (Ire) and Karakontie (Jpn) each overcame double-digit gates to win at Santa Anita.

“We had to go out there with a slight plan from that draw,” said trainer Charlie Appleby, registering a 10th victory at the Breeders' Cup. “The plan was that were going to have to try and go for that sling shot ride, and that would've only have ever materialized if the pace is there to be able to do that. Thankfully, the pace was on.

“Far from saying I was confident, but the pace was setting up for that start of the finish for him. William [Buick] obviously gave him a great ride round there, got him in that position. It was a coffee book sort of sling shot.

“Once that horse got the momentum, we all know what sort of an engine he's got. He's been a bit frustrated. He's been beaten three short heads in Grade I. It's just nice for him to get it done today.”

Winner of the G2 Zabeel Mile and a close third in a roughly run G1 Jebel Hatta over the winter, Master of the Seas beat one home in the G1 Dubai Turf in March and got a vacation. An easy four-length winner of the G2 Summer Mile at Ascot July 15, the bay was tons the best when accounting for last year's Mile runner-up and 'TDN Rising Star' Shirl's Speight (Speightstown) in the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile and was on the wrong end of a bobber with eventual GI Breeders' Cup Turf runner-up Up to the Mark in the GI Keeneland Turf Mile Oct. 7.

Pedigree Notes:

Providing Dubawi with a seventh Breeders' Cup race win, Master of the Seas is one of 10 winners from 12 to the races for his dam, a listed winner and runner-up in the2002 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in France and later twice placed in this country at the graded level while under the care of Eoin Harty. Firth of Lorne's G3 UAE Oaks-winning daughter Falls of Lora is not only the dam of Godolphin's treble Australian Group 1 winner Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), but also of Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the 2019 GI Summer S. at Woodbine. Another daughter of Firth of Lorne, Bint Almatar (Kingmambo), produced G1 Metropolitan S. hero Just Fine (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

Firth of Lorne's final foal is the 3-year-old filly Sithchean (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a debut winner over the Chelmsford all-weather Mar. 2.

Saturday, Santa Anita Park
FANDUEL BREEDERS' CUP MILE PRESENTED BY PDJF-GI, $1,840,000, Santa Anita, 11-4, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:32.45, fm.
1–MASTER OF THE SEAS (IRE), 126, g, 5, by Dubawi (Ire)
                1st Dam: Firth of Lorne (Ire) (SW & G1SP-Fr, MGSP-USA, $163,189), by Danehill
                2nd Dam: Kerrera (Ire), by Diesis (GB)
                3rd Dam: Rimosa's Pet (GB), by Petingo (GB)
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charles Appleby; J-William Buick. $1,040,000. Lifetime Record: GISW-Can, MGSW & G1SP-Eng, GSW & G1SP-UAE, 16-8-3-2, $2,214,457. *1/2 to Latharnach (Iffraaj {GB}), SW & G1SP-Eng, $217,472; 1/2 to Falls of Lora (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}), GSW-UAE, SW-Eng, $246,417; 1/2 to Etive (Elusive Quality), SW-Ger, MSP-Fr, $126,693. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mawj (Ire), 120, f, 3, Exceed And Excel (Aus)–Modern Ideals (GB), by New Approach (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor. $340,000.
3–Casa Creed, 126, h, 7, Jimmy Creed–Achalaya, by Bellamy Road. ($15,000 Ylg '17 OBSWIN; $105,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-LRE Racing LLC and JEH Racing Stable LLC; B-Silver Springs Stud, LLC (KY); T-William I. Mott. $180,000.
Margins: NO, HF, HF. Odds: 3.30, 4.90, 6.30.
Also Ran: Gina Romantica, Songline (Jpn), More Than Looks, Lucky Score, Shirl's Speight, Kelina (Ire), Du Jour, Win Carnelian (Jpn), Astronomer, Masteroffoxhounds. Scratched: Exaulted.

Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Guineas Winner Mawj Triumphant In QE II Challenge Cup

Flight delays kept one of Europe's leading jockeys, Oisin Murphy, from piloting Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) in last weekend's Woodbine's GI E. P. Taylor S. Thankfully for the connections of 'TDN Rising Star' Mawj (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), he experienced no such issues this weekend–arriving in time to guide the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas S. winner to victory in Keeneland's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S.

Making her first start across the pond, the Irish-bred filly entered on a three-race win streak, having crossed the wire first in every start this calendar year culminating with her half-length win over Newmarket's straight mile in May's 1000 Guineas S. Despite being unraced since that spring effort, Mawj did little to dissuade the wagering public who dispatched her as the 6-5 favorite.

Away evenly, Mawj was guided out several paths off the rail over a turf course labeled as good and quickly had a neck in front of a pair of rivals to her inside passing the wire for the first time. Murphy left the rail open around the turn but guided his filly down in time to slam the door on Mission of Joy (Kitten's Joy) and gain a clear lead as the 3-year-old fillies began the backstretch run. 5-2 second choice Elusive Princess (Fr) (Martinborough {Jpn}) rated off the leader's heels in a group that stayed mostly intact through opening fractions in :23.26 and :47.72. Mawj maintained her advantage around the far turn but Elusive Princess made a run at her as the top flight straightened for the final furlong. Mission of Joy, undeterred and still with plenty of run, again made a move on the leader but was put away as the 'Rising Star' stretched out to secure the win over a fast-closing Lindy (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}). The victory secured a historic 500th group win for trainer Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor.

“Thank God,” said the winning trainer when asked about his result. “This is great (for me) to win 500 (grade and) group (races) and a Group 1 with the filly Mawj, a classic winner. To come to America, to Keeneland, to win is a great result for everybody.”

When asked about a next start in the either the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile against males or the GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at 1 1/4 miles, Suroor said: “It looks to me she has plenty of speed as a miler and she made it today nine furlongs. But we'll see. The mile might be the best for her, sure, but I want to decide closer to the race.”

“(Trainer) Saeed (bin Suroor) was delighted with her work at home and he asked me to sit on her last week just before she flew (to the U.S.) and she felt brilliant,” added Murphy. “She felt back to her best. We did quite quick sections (fractions) in the first half of the race, but she is a superstar filly. She found plenty. She's got a great heart and mind. I'm delighted to win for (owner) Godolphin and Saeed here; it's his 500th group winner, so for me to ride it for him means the world.”

Pedigree Note:

Modern Ideals (GB) has more than done her job in the paddocks, producing a pair of Grade/Group 1 winners already including GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner, Eclipse Champion and new Dalham Hall Stud resident Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) along with SW/MGSP Modern News (GB) (Shamardal). The dam herself is a half-sister to G1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere-Grand Criterium winner Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) and GSW Synopsis (Ire) (In the Wings {GB}). Godolphin has retained the last two foals out of Modern Ideals: a 2-year-old Mastercraftsman (Ire) filly and a weanling full-sister to Modern Games.

Saturday, Keeneland
QUEEN ELIZABETH II CHALLENGE CUP S. PRESENTED BY DIXIANA-GI, $501,000, Keeneland, 10-14, 3yo, f, 1 1/8mT, 1:48.06, gd.
1–MAWJ (IRE), 121, f, 3, by Exceed And Excel (Aus)
1st Dam: Modern Ideals (GB), by New Approach (Ire)
2nd Dam: Epitome (Ire), by Nashwan
3rd Dam: Proskona, by Mr. Prospector
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Oisin Murphy. $294,500. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 9-6-1-1, $956,585. *1/2 to Modern News (GB) (Shamardal), SW & MGSP-Eng, MSP-UAE, $225,210; and Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Eur & Eng at 7-9.5f, Ch. Turf Horse & MGISW-US, GISW-Can, G1SW-Eng & Fr, $3,571,418. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Lindy (Fr), 121, f, 3, by Le Havre (Ire)
1st Dam: Llanita (GB) (SP-Fr, SP-USA, $135,802), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire)
2nd Dam: Chill (Fr), by Verglas (Ire)
3rd Dam: Calithea (Ire), by Marju (Ire)
(€90,000 Ylg '21 ARAUG). O-Everest Racing; B-Ecurie La Vallee Martigny Earl (FR); T-Brendan P Walsh. $95,000.
3–Mission of Joy, 121, f, 3, by Kitten's Joy
1st Dam: Smart Mission, by Smart Strike
2nd Dam: Misty Mission, by Miswaki
3rd Dam: Hangin On a Star, by Vice Regent
1ST G1 BLACK-TYPE. ($32,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT). O-RyZan Sun Racing LLC & Madaket Stables LLC; B-Sam-Son Farm (ON); T-H. Graham Motion. $47,500.
Margins: HF, HF, 1HF. Odds: 1.31, 5.72, 25.23.
Also Ran: Elusive Princess (Fr), Sounds of Heaven (GB), Liguria, Elounda Queen (Ire), Papilio (Ire), Freydis the Red (Fr). Scratched: Be Your Best (Ire), Heavenly Sunday, Prerequisite, Safeen. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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