Melbourne, April 26 – Progressive staying filly Exceptionally scored a fast finishing win in the Listed VRC St Leger Stakes over 2800 metres at Flemington on Anzac Day, the daughter of Ekraaar (USA) bred by Shadwell Australia and raised at Yarraman, under whose banner she was sold as a weanling.
Considered a long shot by punters, Exceptionally (pictured courtesy Magic Millions) flew home between runners in the final furlong to reel in the favourite Gallant Lady and win by three quarters of a length.
Expectionally is prepared at Stawell in Victoria’s west by father-daughter team Terry and Karina O’Sullivan, who are looking to the future with the stable’s latest staying star.
Terry wasn’t surprised that his long shot was in the winner’s stall following a down the track effort last start in group class in Adelaide.
"I thought her run at Caulfield (two runs back) was great," O’Sullivan commented.
"She went to Adelaide then and just felt flat and dopey. We took her over the day before and she obviously didn’t do that well overnight.
"She was flat at the races – there was no life in her and she raced accordingly.
"On her run at Caulfield we thought we should have run at least second – if not worried the winner – and it (Chartreux) won the West Australian Derby last night.
"So all up we thought we had a great chance.
"She’s always shown good staying promise. She’s a great winded filly and we always thought she’d stick."
The Melbourne Cup is already a long term aim for Exceptionally – and while it is a long way off – connections can’t help but think they have a contender on their hands.
"She’ll have a rest now," O’Sullivan said. "But you’d have to look at a race like the Melbourne Cup – she just might be the right kind of horse."
Bred by Shadwell, Exceptionally was foaled in New Zealand and then sent back to Australia to Yarraman Park and carries their well known J brand.
She was offered by Yarraman Park at the 2007 MM National Weanling Sale where she was astutely purchased by Gary Mudgway and Kylie Wood’s Grange Thoroughbreds for $4,500.
The Grange team took her back to grow out at their Victorian based and they elected to sell her in Adelaide around eight months later for a healthy $62,500 to delighted owner Kingsley Peach.
"We thought she looked like a Zabeel, and she sure fights like one!", recalled Kylie Wood.
"She went through the ring as lot one, usually not a good thing, but there was spirited bidding, she always was a great filly, and a fabulous mover, covered alot of ground.”
Exceptionally is one of three winners from the Zabeel mare Sahayb, a grand-daughter of influential matron Valour, whose many notable descendants include champion juvenile Burst, Group One winner Bush Padre and more recent stakes-winners such as Tenant’s Tiara and Superfly.
