76th Stakes winner for Exceed And Excel

Three-year-old Exceed And Excel colt Thermal Current became the 76th Stakes winner for his sire when winning the G3 Red Anchor Stakes over 6f on Cox Plate day at Moonee Valley on 26 October.

Having previously been placed in Stakes company on three occasions, the Peter Moody-trained colt sat in third position on the rail after jumping away from the inside gate. Bursting through along the rail in the final stages, jockey Ben Melham urged the colt forward to defeat the previously unbeaten race favourite Not Listenin’tome by a head.

Bred by Contract Racing Pty Ltd and Mr and Mrs N Psaltis, Thermal Current is the first foal out of the Listed-winning Soaressa, a half-sister to the dual Listed–winning, G1-placed mare Impressive Eagle and the Listed-winning, G2-placed Assertive Eagle. Soaressa's current yearling is a colt from the second southern-hemisphere crop of Darley's shuttle stallion Medaglia d'Oro.

The sire of 76 Stakes winner worldwide, Australia's reigning Champion Sire is responsible for no fewer than 15 G1 performers including four-time G1 winner Guelph, a winner of the Flight Stakes and the Thousand Guineas this season, plus Darley's triple G1 winner and fellow Darley Helmet.