Darley’s outstanding dual-hemisphere stallion Exceed And Excel has been enjoying a very successful sales season and was once again to the fore when his colt from G1 performer Our Ella Bella sold for NZ$750,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock sale at Karaka.
Leading NZ owner and breeder David Ellis made the winning bid on the colt, offered by Pencarrow Stud, and was chosen with an eye on next season’s Karaka Million.
“When I visited Pencarrow to inspect him, I thought he was a stunning colt,” Ellis said.
“He’s just perfect for the Karaka Million next year and a lovely colt to train on to the 2,000 Guineas.”
Ellis prevailed in a bidding contest with former Champion Melbourne trainer Peter Moody, bloodstock agent Hubie de Burgh and NZ test cricketer Brendon McCullum.
The colt is from the family of Stakes winner Winning Belle, dam of Australian G1 winner Plucky Belle.
Stakes-winning Karaka graduates by Exceed And Excel include the Hong Kong-trained G1 winner Mr Stunning and two-year-old Stakes winner Al Hasa.
