Darley sire Exceed And Excel capped off a remarkable week courtesy of Saturday’s Moonee Valley Listed winner Kulgrinda.

The Peter Moody-trained mare won untouched and will now be tested in higher grades.  “She is a Group 1 horse and you’ve got to go to Group 1 races,” Moody said.  “She’s on the road to a very good spring.”

Kulgrinda (4f Exceed And Excel – River Crossing by Bellotto) settled right behind the pace before pouncing on the leaders turning for home.  She stretched out in the straight to leave a six length margin between the placegetters.

The winner was coming off a last start victory in the LR Lightning Stakes at Morphettville.

Exceed And Excel has been mentioned in several dispatches from England this week following the wins of Excelebration (G2 Hungerford Stakes), Best Terms (G2 Lowther Stakes) and Margot Did (G1 Nunthorpe Stakes).

Coolmore hitched its wagon to the Exceed And Excel sireline when buying a controlling share in Excelebration this week.  The Marco Botti-trained colt is being set for the G1 Prix du Moulin at Longchamp on September 11.  

Kulgrinda will be gunning for a Group 1 of her own in the Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 30.

“She should be unbeaten but I pushed too far during her first preparation,” Moody admitted after the mare improved her record to 4 wins from 6 starts on Saturday.  “I blame myself because I was impatient instead of waiting for her to mature.”

Kulgrinda is a Contract Racing homebred and is from a half-sister to G1 Oakleigh Plate winner River Dove.  Her dam River Crossing visited Exceed And Excel last year and is booked backed to him this season.