A 50% fee increase announced by Darley for champion sire Exceed and Excel will no doubt put the spotlight on the five mares entered for the Inglis Chairman’s Sale that are in foal to him at last year’s fee of $88,000.
Turning 20 this year, Exceed and Excel is priced at a record high fee of $132,000, a sum likely to make a lot of breeders stop and think twice, given the financial climate we now face as a result of pandemic.
For those not keen to dive in at that price, mares in foal to the champion sire offer another way to secure offspring of an absolutely outstanding sire that has produced a stunning 167 stakes-winners worldwide including current season Group I winners Bivouac and Exceedance.
Click to see pedigrees for all five.
Lot 1 Perfect Rhyme – “She was a highly-talented race filly who, at her best, was competitive with some extremely good fillies in real-deal races. Assessment of her form and perousal of the horses that she beat confirms that. It’s an active family, with the dam having a 2YO and 3YO to run by Iffraaj as well as a yearling by Rip Van Winkle. She is a good-looking mare and first covers don’t come any better than Exceed And Excel.” - Glenn Burrows, Willow Park Stud
Lot 3 Radharcnafarraige (IRE) - “She was a very talented race filly and her sire is a phenomenon. He already has 155 Stakes-winning progeny to his name, and his daughters have produced 97 SWs, which is extraordinary. The covering is particularly appealing given the mare has already bred a high-class 2YO by him in So Serene, who was a $650,000 yearling herself. His progeny have never been hotter commercially and it’s hard to buy pregnancies to him.” - Peter O’Brien, Segenhoe Stud
Lot 25 – Admirable - “Born and raised at Monarch Stud, Admirable has always been a magnificent specimen from the outset. She is a strong, correct individual with a brilliant temperament - qualities that she seems to pass on to each of her offspring. She has a fantastic produce record and it’s very rare for any mare to produce a horse of the class of Vega Magic. To further add to Admirable’s appeal, her two daughters that have been to stud have both produced winners with their first foals, with her third daughter, Vega Dior, IF to Lonhro.” - Kieran Falvey, Monarch Stud
Lot 29 Atomic Kitten - “She is a quality outcross mare and as such, has some scarcity value to her in a market which seems more and more Danehill-saturated. The early cover with Exceed And Excel is very significant, especially considering the year he has had with 3 new G1 winners and his best ever yearling sales result.” - Toby Liston, Three Bridges Thoroughbreds
Lot 71 Mandayana – Well related young Zoustar half-sister to Listed ATC Breeders Plate winner Khan from a half-sister to dual Group I winner Manighar. In foal to Khan’s sire Exceed and Excel in her first season at stud so will produce a three-quarter sibling to the stakes-winner- Segenhoe Stud