Exceptional victory for Exceed And Excel in England

Darley shuttler Exceed And Excel sired another feature winner in England when Exceptional Art came with a brilliant burst in the LR Beverley Bullet Sprint (100m) on Saturday.

Exceptional Art (3g Exceed And Excel – Only In Dreams by Polar Falcon) came from last in the 14 horse field for the new owner – trainer team of Middleham Park Racing and Dandy Nicholls.

“That was amazing,” Nicholls said.  “This horse has won up to a mile on heavy ground but he’s come out here and won over 1000m on firm ground.”

Exceptional Art was previously prepared by Peter Chapple-Hyam and had opened his account on debut at Windsor in August 2008 and added another win at Haydock Park in May before changing hands for 41,000 guineas (AUD 87,446) at the Newmarkey July Sale.

Exceptional Art will now head towards the Ayr Gold Cup on September 19.  He is a younger half-brother to the Brian Meehan trained colt Cape Fear (Cape Cross) who won the rich St Leger Yearling Sale Stakes at Doncaster in 2003.

His younger half-sister Don’t Tell Mary (Starcraft) won a Listed event of her own at Beverley in May when she was successful in the Hilary Needler Trophy.

Exceed And Excel leads the second-season sires premiership in UK-Ireland this year and he is also making headway in North America with his European bred stakes winners Mrs Kipling and Flashman Papers.