Darley day at Morphettville

The Darley stallions were once again to the fore at Morphettville on Monday, with both Exceed And Excel (pictured) and Canny Lad siring new Black type winners and Shamardal adding a new Group performer to his impressive record.

Lightly raced two-year-old Exceed And Excel filly Koala Bear became the 22nd Stakes winner for her sire with a gallant victory in the 1050m Listed Pewsey Vale Stakes. Having finished fourth at her only two starts to date - both in Stakes company - Koala Bear jumped cleanly from an outside gate and sat just behind the leading pack. As Trisara took the lead and looked likely to score, Koala Bear, who races in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed, wore down the leader to score by a half-length.

Finishing third in the race was another Exceed And Excel filly Always Discreet, giving her G1-winning sire his 27th southern hemisphere Stakes performer, more than any other third-season sire so far this season.

Twelve months ago, the very same race was taken out by Exceed And Excel filly Baby Corn, who, like Koala Bear is also trained by Lee Freedman.

The well-named Koala Bear is the first foal of the Zabeel mare Lucky Mascot, a daughter of the multiple Stakes winner Arletty. Lucky Mascot has an Elusive Quality yearling filly as well as a weanling colt by Danzig’s multiple G1 winner Ad Valorem on the ground.

Currently sitting second behind fellow Darley stallion Lonhro on the third-season sires’ table (who recorded two new Stakes winners himself over the weekend), Exceed And Excel currently has 45 Stakes horses worldwide to his credit.

Later on the same card, three-year-old Canny Lad filly Small Minds recorded the biggest win of her short career to date, capitalising on a solid tempo to work home and score a one-and-a-quarter length win in the Listed Adelaide Guineas. Finishing second behind Elusive Quality filly I’m Discreet at her last start in the Nitschke Stakes, the John Thompson-trained filly appreciated the step up to the mile to score.

Bred by Mr DR Casson, Small Minds is out of the Yeats mare Princess Marigold and was purchased from the Inglis Scone yearling sale for $48,000. A half-sister to Stakes winner Marwin Gold, Small Minds has added considerable residual value to her pedigree with this Guineas victory.

Having finished third behind Exceed And Excel filly Hooness at her last start, Shamardal's daughter Happy Hippy took an inside path to finish third in the G2 Yallambee Classic. Ridden by Michael Rodd, the regular jockey for Saturday’s G2-winning Shamardal filly Faint Perfume; Happy Hippy, like Small Minds is owned by Nathan Tinkler’s Patinack Farm.

Earlier in the day G1-performed Commands gelding Commanding Hope resumed from a spell, finishing an encouraging second in the G3 R. N. Irwin Stakes.