G3 victory for Exceed And Excel filly

A last start runner in the G1 Golden Slipper, the G2 placed Ottoman (Exceed And Excel) dropped back in class to defeat stablemate Calaverite (Lonhro) in the G3 Percy Sykes Stakes on the second day of The Championships at Randwick.

Tackling a small field of six that included this year’s G1 Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper third placegetter Lake Geneva, Ottoman settled back on the rail for jockey Sam Clipperton.

Producing a well-timed run, the two-year-old filly charged late to claim the race by a short head from fellow Godolphin runner Calaverite in second.

Bred by Darley in Australia, Ottoman is the first winner and Stakes winner out of the Elusive Quality mare Byzantine, a half-sister to the five-time G1 winner Mummify. Byzantine foaled a full-brother to Ottoman in the Spring and was subsequently covered by Reset.

The sire of five juvenile Stakes winner this season in Australia and 97 Stakes winners overall, Exceed And Excel’s yearlings sold up to $775,000 at this week’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.