Vinery freshman Exceedance has made the best possible start to his stud career with two winners from two starters in Australia.
Melbourne Cup Day colt Dublin Down opened the Exceedance account in style with a Group 3 victory in the VRC Maribyrnong Plate (Gr.3, 1000m) at Flemington last month. He was the focus of Australia-wide attention whereas the second winner Simply Tina flew in under the radar on Thursday.
Simply Tina wasn’t even ready to debut, nevertheless, trainer Johnny Manzelmann threw in a nomination just to make up the field in the ZenBook Maiden (950m) in Cairns. The Mackay-based conditioner racks up more kilometres in a month than most would in a year and that’s meant more premierships and trophies than anyone else in North Queensland.
”I knew she wasn’t entitled to race being that underdone but I also knew she could still win,” Manzelman said. “She’s a beautiful filly and there’s lots and lots and lots of upside.”
Simply Tina (2f Exceedance – Seismic Warning by More Than Ready) jumped straight to the front for Jackson Murphy and strode home boldly to win by two lengths after being challenged by Mishani Style (The Mission) approaching the home turn.
”She had a kick in the straight and that was very encouraging. She can have a break now and, if she has them covered here when she comes back in, we will send her down closer to town. ”
Simply Tina is raced by Manzelman in partnership with owner-breeders Paul and Lyn Maguire. Her dam is a half-sister AJC Flight Stakes (Gr.1, 1600m) winner Cheeky Choice and she has yearling filly by All Too Hard.
Exceedance (Exceed And Excel) can strike again for a second pre-Xmas black-type win with Jupiter Hills in the $500,000 Inglis Nursery (RL, 1100m) at Randwick on Saturday. She was a $380,000 buy for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale on behalf of Kestrel Thoroughbreds.
“Jupiter Hills went down to Goulburn with Tim Martin and he thinks she will be forward enough to be part of our A Team before Xmas,” Kestrel’s Bruce Slade correctly predicted in June. ”He reckons she’s very sharp and knows what it’s all about.”
Eceedance has 11 second-crop yearlings entered for the Gold Coast Magic Millions from January 9 and Vinery Stud (as agent) will kick off with Day 1 colts from Runway Star (Lot 120) and Sharpness (Lot 176).
