One To Watch - Benalla

Mark Smith - Monday August 30

Just a Monday maiden for three-year-old fillies over 1106m at Benalla it may have been, but it was not short on interest.

Seven of the nine starters were making their career debut, and one of them got the cash.

Suricate makes a winning debut (David Thorpe/Racing Photos)

In a finish dominated by homebreds, the Exceed And Excel filly Suricate finished fast to defeat the twice-raced Toronado (IRE) filly Isles Of Avalon by three-quarters of a length. It was a further half-head back to the Snitzel filly Star Waltz who edged out the Territories (IRE) filly Antipodes for third.

Runner-up Isles Of Avalon carries the colours of Makybe Racing & Breeding's Tony Santic. Isles Of Avalon is a sister to the Group III Typhoon Tracy Stakes runner-up Rainbiel.

Third-placed Star Waltz is a David Moodie-bred half-sister to the Group II Kewney Stakes winner Starelle out of the Group II Queen Of The South winner Star Giselle.

Four-placed, Godolphin homebred, Antipodes is out of Rio Osa, a dual Listed stakes-winning sister to Group 1 VRC Sires' Produce Stakes winner Preserve and a half-sister to Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes winner and successful sire Denman.

The winner Suricate is also a Godolphin homebred. Trained by Anthony & Sam Freedman, Suricate is the first foal of Group III VRC Ottawa Stakes and Listed SAJC Adelaide Guineas winner Antelucan.

A daughter of Domesday, Antelucan is a half-sister to Group II BRC Dane Ripper Stakes winner Hazard (Flying Spur), Group III MRC Manfred Stakes winner Java (Medaglia d'Oro), and Group III SAJC Auraria Stakes winner Crucial (Nadeem).

Suricate with Zac Spain (image David Thorpe/Racing Photos)

"She had been trialling up really nicely, albeit mostly on the bridle, but we weren't quite sure what she was going to find off the bridle," Sam Freedman told Racing.com.

"She's always been a nice filly, and we just told Zac (Spain) to give her a nice experience, let her find the line, and it was nice to get the win on debut.

"She will probably get a bit further than that, and she's still pricking her ears on the line; she's not sure what's going on."

"She's bred to get a shorter trip with a lot of speed in her family.

"With these Godolphin fillies, we'll be looking to get a metropolitan win with her. If she can progress further than that, then this is the time of year because there's no hiding when you start to step out in better races."

Antelucan has a yearling colt by Snitzel. She was covered by Exceed And Excel again last spring, having missed to Darley's flagship stallion in 2019.

Exceed And Excel

Visit the profile page for Exceed And Excel

Exceed And Excel in upcoming sales:
Advertisment

Race Result - Ryan & McNulty Sawmillers Mdn 1106m

Benalla Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:06.86
1
Suricate
- 3f Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Antelucan (AUS) (Domesday (AUS))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: Zac Spain 57
2
0.8
Isles Of Avalon
- 3f Toronado (IRE) x Isles Of Wonder (AUS) (Manhattan Rain (AUS))
Tnr: Andrew Noblet Rdr: Will Price 57
3
0.9
Star Waltz
- 3f Snitzel (AUS) x Star Of Giselle (AUS) (Reset (AUS))
Tnr: M Ellerton & S Zahra Rdr: Thomas Stockdale 57
4
1.0
Antipodes
- 3f Territories (IRE) x Rio Osa (AUS) (Canny Lad (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Fred W Kersley 57
5
3.2
Bold Mistress
- 3f Wandjina (AUS) x Our Matilda (AUS) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: N A Blackiston Rdr: Jack Hill 57
6
3.4
Wahoo Flyer
- 3f Real Impact (JPN) x Hexameter (AUS) (Octagonal (NZ))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: B Mc Dougall 57
7
4.1
Speed Wheel
- 3f Oamaru Force (AUS) x Live Long (AUS) (Ad Valorem (USA))
Tnr: Dwayne Reid Rdr: Jamie Gibbons 57
8
6.9
Let's Dazzle
- 3f So You Think (NZ) x Personification (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: R Mc Leod 57
9
9.4
Sycorax
- 3f So You Think (NZ) x Anevay (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: Carleen Hefel 57
More Reading...
Coolmore Announce Euro 2025 Fees
Coolmore have announced fees for their 20 strong European sire roster with three new additions City of Troy (Justify), Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact)and Henry Longfellow (Dubawi) and a significant increase for Wootton Bassett, who is currently in Australia.
Melbourne Cup Winner for Extreme Choice – Rare Slice of History
This year’s $8.5million Group I VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m) produced a genuinely amazing fairytale result for the connections of five year-old Extreme Choice gelding Knight’s Choice, but part of that fairytale is his sire Extreme Choice, who has carved out something seriously special as being only the second sire in history to produce the winner of a Golden Slipper and a Melbourne Cup.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 5
Here is the full list of 145 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.