Exceed and Excel Gelding Wins G1 Haydock Sprint Cup

Tara Madgwick - Sunday September 8

A big field of 16 went to the post for the Group I Haydock Sprint Cup (6f) overnight and with race favourite Inisherin failing to fire it was left to outsiders to fill the placings with Exceed and Excel gelding Montassib claiming a narrow victory.

Trained by William Haggas and ridden by Cieren Fallon, six year-old Montassib has been kept to a 6f trip for his racing this year and has found his niche winning two of his three previous starts in 2024 in Listed and Group races before upping the ante for his first G1 win.

Montassib chimed in with a furlong to run and gradually worked to the lead before going on to win by a head over Blue Point colt Kind of Blue.

 

The win came as a pleasant surprise for his trainer William Haggas, who also had third placed Unequal Love in the race.

“I thought Unequal Love might run well but I wasn't expecting Montassib to enjoy that ground (good track) and I thought they were both drawn away from the real action. We relied on Bucanero Fuerte going forward, which he did, and Unequal Love was always travelling well, whereas Cieren [Fallon] had to get after Montassib,” said William Haggas.

“On softer ground they come back to him and that would suit him better, but he's the most genuine horse at home and Cieren always thinks there's more to come. The Champions Sprint was always the race I was looking forward to. You would think the race would suit him, but he'll now be one of the favourites and things are different when you're expected to win.”

Bred by Shadwell, Monatssib has always been trained by Haggas and initially raced in the Shadwell colours before being sold privately into his current ownership group.

He has the overall record of eight wins from 19 starts with this success his first in a G1 race.

Montassib is the best of four winners from Felwah, a winning Aqlaam mare from the family of Group III winner Lady Gloria.

Now 24, Exceed Excel has been retired from stud duty.

He is the 20th Group I winner for Darley’s champion sire Exceed and Excel, who was retired from stud duty earlier this year after making his mark in both hemispheres with 13 of those G1 winners Southern Hemisphere bred and seven from his shuttling to the UK.

 

 

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
Express Yourself Returns to NZ
Group One performer Express Yourself has returned home from her spring campaign in Melbourne and is now on a path towards the Gr.1 TAB Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham on January 4.
Pinhook Winners 2024 NZB Ready to Run – Churchill Colt the Star
A record breaking NZB Ready to Run Sale this week at Karaka delivered plenty of pinhook success with 18 two year-olds selling for $300,000 or more above their yearling purchase price, so let’s take a look at some of the best of them.
Cambridge Stud News
It’s been the spring that keeps giving for Cambridge Stud and it’s not over yet.
$2,000 Gavelhouse Bargain Keeps on Winning!
The Grey Goose continued to belie her purchase price last start when recording her fifth win at Wingatui, bringing her career earnings to more than $225,000.
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday November 20
Here is the full list of 39 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Magic Millions 2025 Magazine Online
The 2025 Magic Millions magazine is now online with a great mix of gallery images, editorial and vendor profilies.