Friday 25 April proved hugely successful on the racing front for the Darley stallions, with Black type winners for Exeed And Excel, Bertolini and Tiger Hill; whilst Halling and Slickly each added further Black type to their stud records with a Stakes-placed horse apiece.
Progressive Exceed And Excel colt Outdo has been hinting at greater things to come, running third and second in his two most recent starts, and he duly delivered on Friday with an impressive last-to-first swoop to take out the Anzac Day Stakes at Flemington.
From a staying dam line out of the Rhythm mare Galway Lass, Outdo, who has only finished out of the money once in five starts, is now likely to be prepared with a Derby campaign in mind following this 1400m victory. His trainer Steve Richards is also responsible for G3 winner and Cadbury Guineas place-getter Playwright, by Fantastic Light.
Outdo is the eleventh individual winner and the latest star in what is proving to be a talented first crop for Exceed And Excel, which includes G3 winners Exceedingly Good, Wilander and Believe’n’Succeed and Listed winner Sugar Babe.
Meanwhile in New Zealand, Bertolini's two-year-old daughter Juice took her first Black type race when running out the length-and-a-half winner of the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Fillies' Stakes at Avondale. Bertolini has sired five individual Stakes performers this year, including Greenham Stakes second Bobs Surprise.
At Toulouse in France, Young Tiger (Tiger Hill) landed the ten-furlong Listed Vase d'Argent to record his second win at Stakes level, with Slickly Royal (Slickly) taking third place in the same race.
Closer to home, Hattan (Halling) continued his good start to the year when beaten just half a length by odds-on favourite Ask in the G3 Gordon Richards Stakes. Saeed Manana's six-year-old entire was the two-length winner of the G3 Winter Derby on his seasonal debut last month.
