Exciting colt remains unbeaten

Exciting Exceed And Excel colt Safeguard remained unbeaten with a tough first-up win in the G3 Vain Stakes over 1100m at Caulfield, August 17.

Settling on the back of the leaders in the early stages, jockey Kerrin McEvoy allowed Safeguard to stride up three-wide turning for home. He assumed control at the 200m mark and held off all challengers in the final 50m to record a fighting victory.

Safeguard is now unbeaten in three starts with his two wins as a two-year-old coming at Flemington on debut before winning the G3 Kindergarten Stakes over the Sydney Autumn carnival.

A homebred for Darley, Safeguard is out of G1-winning two-year-old Preserve, a half-sister to G1 winner and Darley Australia stallion Denman. Fittingly, given the name of the race, Preserve is a granddaughter of the great sprinter Vain.

Exceed And Excel is the sire of 71 Stakes winners including triple G1 winner and Darley stallion Helmet, as well as Excelebration, Overreach, Guelph, Margot Did and Reward For Effort.