Exceed And Excel filly Guelph cemented her place as Australia’s premier 3yo filly with a dominant win in the G1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on Wednesday.

The Darley homebred was sent out one of the shortest-priced favourites in the classic’s history and was ridden very confidently by Kerrin McEvoy.  She assumed control from the outset and led at a steady tempo before kicking for home at the top of the straight.

Guelph (3f Exceed And Excel – Camarilla by Elusive Quality) comfortably accounted for runner-up May’s Dream (New Approach) who momentarily threw out a challenge at the furlong.  “She kicked when that second filly challenged,” trainer Peter Snowden said.  “And if anything else had come along, she would have kicked again.”

Gregers (Commands) chased hard over the concluding stages to round out a Darley-sired trifecta.  Snowden and the Darley team will decide in the coming days whether Guelph will press on to the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday week or be spelled.

Guelph had won the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes and G1 Champagne Stakes at two and has doubled up in the G1 Flight Stakes and G1 Thousand Guineas this season.  She is the first four-time Group 1 winner by Exceed And Excel who stands for an $88,000 (inc gst) fee at Darley Kelvinside.

Her dam Camarilla won the 2007 edition of the G1 AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes.  The mare died last October but her 2yo colt Ghibellines (Shamardal) finished fourth on debut in the LR Breeders’ Plate earlier this month.  Her final foal is a yearling colt by Street Cry.

GUELPH