Aussie Sires Dominate Royal Ascot Juvenile Features

Australian sires Choisir and Exceed and Excel provided both juvenile stakes-winners on day one of Royal Ascot.

The Group II Coventry Stakes over six furlongs went the way of Choisir colt Rajasinghe, who did best in a thrilling three way finish to win by a head in race record time.

"It's amazing, from day one we've loved Rajasinghe. He's done everything we've asked from him and leading up to Newcastle we knew there'd be improvement to come," said his trainer Richard Spencer.

Rajasinghe was a winner on debut last month at Newcastle and is now two for two.

Purchased for 85,000 pounds at the Goffs Doncaster Premier Yearling sale, Rahasinghe is the best of seven winners from Bunditten, a stakes-placed daughter of Soviet Star.

Rajasinghe is the 82nd stakes-winner for Choisir, who was a Royal Ascot legend himself back in 2003.

Choisir stands at Coolmore at a fee of $29,700 alongside his champion son Starspangledbanner, who stands at $16,500.

Darley's heavy hitter Exceed and Excel made his mark at Royal Ascot when two year-old colt Sound and Silence won the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes over five furlongs.

A Godolphin homebred prepared by Charlie Appleby, Sound and Silence made it two wins from three starts when taking out this feature by a neck after disappointing at his previous outing in a Listed race at Sandown.

"I was disappointed with Sound And Silence at Sandown but scoped him immediately afterwards and it was dirty so I put a line through that. I put the cheekpieces on as it was a big day and I didn't want to take any chances and he's galloped out strongly," said Charlie Appleby.

Sound and Silence is the best of three winners from Veil of Silence, an unraced half-sister by Elusive Quality to Group I winner Ibn Khaldun from Group I winner Gossamer, a full sister to Group I winner and sire Barathea.

He is the 133rd stakes-winner for champion sire Exceed and Excel, who stands at Darley NSW this spring at a fee of $110,000.