Darley sire Exceed And Excel dominated both divisions of the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude with top-class two year-olds Kuroshio and Guelph.

Kuroshio (Exceed And Excel) produced a gutsy effort to claim his second stakes win after sitting three wide at Caulfield.  He had won at Listed level on debut at Flemington in October.

Exceed And Excel got him from American-bred Gone West mare Arctic Drift.  She is also the dam of Believe’n’succeed who won a division of the 2008 Blue Diamond Prelude.  Arctic Drift has a yearling colt by Medaglia d’Oro and was covered by Exceed And Excel’s G1 winning son Helmet last year.

Exceed And Excel flyer Guelph was even more impressive beating stablemate Montsegur (New Approach) in the Fillies Prelude on Saturday.

Trainer Peter Snowden has always declared she is the best of his juvenile team heading to the G1 Blue Diamond and winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy agreed.  “She did it all really well and didn’t have a problem,” he said.  “The impressive part was that she bounced out and took a good spot.

Guelph’s dam Camarilla won the 2007 G3 Blue Diamond Prelude and her brother-in-blood Sepoy won the 2011 G1 Blue Diamond.  The mare has a yearling colt by Shamardal but died shortly after delivering a colt by Street Cry in September

Guelph has been promoted to $3 equal favourite for the G1 Blue Diamond on February 23 with Adelaide filly Miracles Of Life.  Darley homebreds Metastasio ($8) and Montsegur ($21) are also in the market, however, Kuroshio is a doubtful runner ,

Exceed And Excel will be represented by 17 yearlings at the forthcoming Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale and there are another 9 catalogued for the Inglis Easter Sale in April.