Top Exceed And Excel (Danehill - Patrona, by Lomond) colt Helmet (Exceed And Excel - Accessories, by Singspiel) tuned up for his arduous international campaign with a sound trial effort at Cranbourne on Monday night.

The Cranbourne Turf Club held the trials as a test run ahead of the start of night racing at the venue next month. The Darley organisation took the chance to trial the Caulfield Guineas winner on a racing surface before he begins his campaign, which will also take in Dubai.

Helmet behind the leader before working home strongly to post a comfortable 1-1/4 length win in the opening heat of the evening in the reasonable time of 59.45 seconds for 1000 metres.

“We came here for a solid hit-out and that’s what he had,” Helmet’s jockey Kerrin McEvoy told Racing Victoria.

The Snowden stable decided to leave multiple Group 1 winner Sepoy (Elusive Quality - Watchful, by Danehill) home at Flemington but trialled the talented Caline (Elusive Quality - Daanet Al Dunya).

Caline won her heat by half a length in 60.61 seconds.

Cox Plate winner Pinker Pinker (Reset - Miss Marion) worked home nicely to finish third in the third heat of the evening.

Anthony Freedman has a smart two-year-old in Armed For Action (2 f Exceed And Excel - Brave And Bold, by Timber Country) who led all the way to land Saturday’s Camms Queen Adelaide Stakes (1050m).

The $90,000 Easter Yearling purchase started the $1.35 favourite in the $80,000 Listed race and her supporters had no problem after jockey Daniel Moor sent Armed For Action straight to the front.

Armed For Action is unbeaten in two starts and yesterday was never threatened. First into the straight, Armed For Action went further clear in the straight and went on to defeat Marble Rye (Al Maher) by three lengths with Flying Skipper (Danerich) third.

Armed For Action is a new stakes winner for Exceed And Excel, who has now sired 44 stakes winners. Her dam is a three-quarter sister to  the Gr 2 Wakeful Stakes winner Timbourina with the Queensland Derby and Oaks winner Bravery as her grand dam.

Eliza Park stallion Bel Esprit (Royal Academy - Bespoken, by Vain) may have another Group 1 prospect after Bel Sprinter’s (Bel Esprit - Gavroche, by Snippets) brilliant win in Saturday’s Listed W J Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield.

Bel Esprit is already the sire of the world’s best sprinter Black Caviar (Bel Esprit - Helsinge, by Desert Sun) and Group 1 winner Bel Mer (Bel Esprit - Drop Anchor, by At Talaq). However, the stallion has not sired a male Group 1 winner but Bel Sprinter could change that fact.

Bel Sprinter came from well back in the field to beat Kulgrinda (Exceed And Excel - River Crossing, by Bellotto) to post his fifth win from six starts. The victory also booked the gelding’s place in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 25.

“Options are everywhere, I think he gets into the Oakleigh Plate with no weight and that has been our plan all the way through,” Warren said.

“I think we are better placed now we have had that run.

“I spoke to the handicappers today and we get in with 53.5(kg) because today is only a Listed race and our plan was to give him three weeks between runs so we are right in it.”

Warren paid $140,000 for a brother to Bel Sprinter at last month’s Magic Millions yearling sale on the Gold Coast.

Darley sire Exceed And Excel (Danehill - Patrona, by Lomond) has eight of the 64 youngsters remaining in contention for this month’s Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

The Darley organisation itself has five of Exceed And Excel’s progeny among the third declarations for Victoria’s richest juvenile event, including the smart debut winner Applegate (Exceed And Excel - Klamath Falls, by Storm Cat).

Applegate won at Listed level during the Flemington spring carnival to be among the leading fancies for the Blue Diamond Stakes.

Another Darley stallion Commands (Danehill - Cotehele House, by My Swanee) is the sire of the ruling Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Jimando (Commands - Finko, by Caerleon).

Patinack Farm sponsors the $1 million feature. Its two first- season sires Husson (Hussonet - Villa Elisa, by Roy) and Casino Prince (Flying Spur - Lady Capel, by Last Tycoon) have five and three runners remaining in the Blue Diamond Stakes respectively.

Caulfield will host the Blue Diamond Stakes on February 25.

Click here to view the 64 third declarations for the Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Stakes.

A quartet of Group 1-winning three-year-olds is among the nominations for the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.

Darley stallion Reset (Zabeel - Assertive Lass, by Zeditave) won the race for his previous owner Lloyd Williams in 2004 while his fellow top sires Pins (Snippets - No Finer, by Kaoru Star), Dash For Cash (Secret Savings - Gulistan, by Rubiton) and Al Maher (Danehill - Show Dancing, by Don’t Say Halo) have also won the feature.

Caulfield Guineas winner Helmet (Exceed And Excel - Accessories, by Singspiel) and his Peter Snowden-trained stablemate Benfica (Lonhro - Hut, by Danehill) will represent the Darley operation.

Benfica won the Group 1 T J Smith Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm at his last start in June 2011 while Helmet missed a place in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley before a well-earned spell.

Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) winner Sangster (Savabeel - Quinta Special, by Spectrum) could run in the $1 million race as a possible lead-up to the Group 1 AJC Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick later in the autumn.

Runaway Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) victor Mosheen (Fastnet Rock - Sumehra, by Stravinsky) is among the 113 three-year-olds entered for the event.

Click here to view the nominations for the Australian Guineas.

Super stable Darley has entered more than 10 percent of the 165 two-year-olds still in the running for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes after second acceptances were taken on Wednesday.

Sepoy carried Darley’s famous maroon and white colours to victory last year before the son of Elusive Quality stormed to victory in the Group 1 Golden Slipper a matter of week later.

Patinack Farm topped the nominations left in the race it sponsors after it left 19 of its 41 initial Blue Diamond declarations in contention for Victoria’s richest two-year-old race.

Darley sire Exceed And Excel (Danehill - Patrona, by Lomond) has 14 two-year-olds among the acceptors while Encosta De Lago (Fairy King - Shoal Creek, by Star Way) has 11.

“We’re pleased with the level of interest in Victoria’s premier two year-old race, which as it stands is the best for three years in terms of number,” Melbourne Racing Club Racing Manager Wayne Sampson said.

“Notwithstanding that, a cursory look at the pedigree of many of the horses among second declarations suggests that 2012 is a two year-old vintage that should also be high on talent.

The Melbourne Racing Club will run the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield on February 26.

Darley enjoyed a bumper year with its juveniles last season and they have started this season in good style as well with ecent impressive winners Epaulette (Commands) and Friday’s Cranbourne winner Sabie (2 f Exceed And Excel - Rondavel, by Snippets), who sailed home five-lengths clear of her rivals in the $12,000 Star News Group 2yo Maiden Plate (1000m) on her her racetrack debut.

Trained by Anthony Freedman, Sabie was always in control of the race and was untroubled in the straight to clear away from Shivers (Haradasun) with She’s Streetsahead (Street Sense) third in what looks a good class race.

Sabie was one of three winners on Friday for her Exceed And Excel following Ambergris (6 m Amber Shore), winner of the $14,000 Granite Transformations Hcp (1400m) at Canberra and Frankenbeans (3 g Carnegie Hikari) who won the Flair Gourmet Services Maiden (1000m), also at Canberra.

On Tuesday Emila (3 f Hancora) won the $27,000 ATC E-Motions Design Hcp (1000m)  while Reparations (2 c Hold To Ransom) won the $70,000 MRC Patinack Farm Hcp (1400m) at Sandown Park forming some of the seven winners sired by Exceed And Excel since Christmas day.

Exceed And Excel (Danehill - Patrona, by Lomond) capped a terrific weekend for Darley stallions when his progeny claimed a treble on Sunday.

Darley sires produced 25 winners in two days. Exceed And Excel’s progeny were also prominent on Saturday when the Darwin speedster Canali (Exceed And Excel - Angora, by Barathea) proved too strong for his opposition in the 65 Roses Victoria Cup (1100m) at Caulfield.

The Anthony Freedman stable continued to hold its own with Darley-owned stock when Reparations (Exceed And Excel - Hold To Ransom, by Red Ransom) claimed the West, Carr and Harvey Accountants Handicap (1325m) at Geelong.

The three-year-old’s success followed Predator’s (Exceed And Excel - Chanteloup, by Grand Lodge) win in the Graham Family Funerals Maiden (1100m) at Hobart and Superb Effort’s (Exceed And Excel - Superb Lady, by Canny Lad) victory in the Condon Hardware Handicap (1100m) at Lismore.

The deeds of Caulfield Guineas winner Helmet (Exceed And Excel - Accessories, by Singspiel) have propelled Exceed And Excel to eighth on the Australian General Sires’ premiership. The stallion’s progeny has won 62 races this season, including five carrying stakes status.

Exceeed And Excel’s Group 1 winning 3yo Excelebration will miss the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile due to a ‘dirty scope’ and will continue his career in Ireland in the care of Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Trained for two years by Newmarket-based Marco Botti, Excelebration was twice second to Frankel - most recently in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day - and won the Group 1 Prix du Moulin in September.

Excelebration was purchased by Coolmore in August and will travel to Ballydoyle just before Christmas, although original owner Giuliano Manfredini continued - and will continue next season - to be listed as one of the colt’s owners.

Trainer Marco Botti told the racing Post,  “It’s been an incredible year with Excelebration and I would like to thank my staff for all their excellent work with the colt. We have had some wonderful days with him, especially in Paris, and it’s a pity that a routine scope has ended his chances of winning the Group 1 in Hong Kong after his great runs at Longchamp and Ascot.”

Botti revealed he had been buoyed by the entrustment of two yearlings to him by the Coolmore connections. ”It’s only natural that we will be sad to see Excelebration go but we genuinely wish him everypossible success at Ballydoyle next year.” he said.

Darley stallions cut a swathe through Friday night’s Moonee Valley meeting with a hat trick of winners.

Exceed And Excel (Danehill - Patrona, by Lomond) mare Exceed And Excite (Exceed And Excel - Ladidi, by Palace Music) started things off for Darley with her gritty win in the Essendon Mazda 55-Second Challenge (955m).

Exceed And Excite led at a quick pace before pulling out plenty to win the $30,000 race by a short head. Newmarc Bloodstock paid $65,000 for Exceed And Excite at the 2009 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Reconcentrate (Reset - Border Reverie, by Brief Truce) came from off the speed to claim the next race, the Cleanaway Handicap (1200m). Reconcentrate’s dam Border Reverie (Selkirk - Dreams, by Rainbow Quest) foaled a filly by Reset (Zabeel - Assertive Lass, by Zeditave) earlier this month.

Provincial trainer Malcolm Carson produced the third winner by a Darley stallion when On My Command led throughout to claim the Moonee Valley - Celebrating 150 Years Handicap (1200m).

Earlier, Anthony Freedman produced Alarms (Lonhro - RIona, by Strategic) to win the racingnetwork.com.au Handicap (1100m) at Kyneton.

The Darley roster has four representatives in the top 10 Australian sires by earnings this season. Reset is ranked fourth while Elusive Quality (fifth), Commands (ninth) and Exceed And Excel (10^th) are also among the elite stallions in the first third of the 2011/12 season.

Darley announced its Northern Hemisphere fees on Friday with Lonhro (Octagonal) set to stand for $US30,000 at Jonabell Farm in 2012. In England, Exceed And Excel (Danehill) will stand for £22,500, Dubawi at £75,000 and Shamardal at €50,000

The Kentucky roster will be led by Bernardini ($150,000) and Street Cry ($150,000), both of whom stand in Australia this season. Charlie Boden, Darley’s Head of Sales said, “2012 is going to be an exciting year. Bernardini is a young horse we are so proud of and he is proving to be truly world-class. Our other top stallions Elusive Quality, Medaglia d’Oro and Street Cry will be joined by Australia’s reigning Champion sire, Lonhro who has been so well received since we announced him just last month.”

“We can’t wait to show him to breeders in January. Of our four freshmen who have started so well, Hard Spun deserves special mention. He’s leading the table by Stakes winners and we look forward to all of their three-year-olds in 2012.”

Sam Bullard, Darley’s director of stallions in Europe said, “We have a wonderful line up of stallions and their achievements this year have been outstanding. Our elite stallions Dubawi, Shamardal and Cape Cross continue to sire G1 winners each and every year.

The Mick Price-trained three-year-old Instinction (Exceed And Excel - De Lago Mist, by Encosta De Lago) provided the Darley sire Exceed And Excel (Danehill - Patrona, by Lomond) with his second stakes success of the Flemington carnival with his win in the Listed VRC Springtime Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.

Juvenile filly Applegate (Exceed And Excel - Klamath Falls, by Storm Cat) scored a debut win at Listed level at Flemington on Tuesday before Instinction got up on the inside of the Paul Messara-trained Mahisara (More Than Ready - Darsini, by Danehill) to win narrowly.

Instinction became the 43^rd individual stakes winner when the colt won his second race from six starts. Instinction followed in the footsteps of his stakes-winning dam De Lago Mist (Encosta De Lago - In The Mist, by Southern Appeal), who won the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and Group 3 SAJC Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) as a juvenile.

Price combined with Blue Sky Thoroughbreds to secure Instinction for $300,000 out of the Three Bridges Thoroughbreds draft at the 2010 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. The Caulfield trainer said the lightly-raced colt would relish the step up to 1600 metres in Saturday week’s Group 2 Sandown Guineas.

“We’re happy and he’s a nice horse so hopefully we can run him in the Sandown Guineas,” Price said.

“He’s had a solid run here but the Sandown Guineas was always going to be our target. Now that he has got a Listed race win, it gets his rating up and we can go in there with him and a mile will be beautiful for him. ”

Instinction foaled a colt by Fastnet Rock (Danehill - Piccadilly Circus, by Royal Academy) in 2009 before the mare visited Redoute’s Choice (Danehill - Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad. The matings produced a colt in 2010 and a filly in 2011.

Impressive filly Applegate (Exceed And Excel - Klamath Falls, by Storm Cat) became the 42nd individual stakes winner for Darley sire Exceed And Excel (Danehill - Patrona, by Lomond) with her win in the Listed Ottowa Stakes (1000m) at Tuesday’s Flemington meeting.

The Darley homebred settled off the pace before producing a smooth turn of foot to reel in the Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice - Snippets’ Lass, by Snippets) filly Snitzerland (Snitzel - Monte Rosa, by Fraar) to win by a head.

Winning trainer Peter Snowden said he would aim Applegate at the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in the autumn.

“The timing is right to give her a break now,” Snowden said. “She is obviously a talented filly and we’ll have a look at something like the Blue Diamond.”

Sons of Danehill (Danzig - Razyana, by His Majesty) provided all three placegetters  when the Redoute’s Choice (Danehill - Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad) two-year-old Rhandara (Redoute’s Choice - Bhandara, by Zabeel) worked home well for third.

Applegate provided Exceed And Excel with his first juvenile win of the season. Darley sires Lonhro (Octagonal - Shadea, by Straight Strike) and Commands (Danehill - Cotehele House, by My Swanee) have already produced two-year-old stakes winners this season.

Applegate is the second stakes winner for the Storm Cat mare Klamath Falls (Storm Cat - Link River, by Gone West) after Yulalona (Dubai Destination - Klamath Falls, by Storm Cat) won the Listed Dulcify Quality (1800m) as a three-year-old.

Darley sires have provided five of the 16 acceptors for Saturday’s weight-for-age blockbuster, the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley.

The worldwide breeding and racing operation bred and races Helmet (Exceed And Excel - Accessories, by Singspiel), who is the ruling favourite for the $3 million event. Helmet led all the way to win a memorable renewal of the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 8.

The Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) winner Secret Admirer (Dubawi - Secret Illusion, by Secret Savings) is also among the Cox Plate acceptors. The Grahame Begg-trained mare has drawn barrier eight for her Melbourne debut.

Secret Admirer will meet the Epsom Handicap runner-up Pinker Pinker (Reset - Miss Marion, by Success Express) in the Cox Plate. Craig Williams will ride the Reset (Zabeel - Assertive Lass, by Zeditave) mare, which has drawn barrier 12.

Storming Home (Machiavellian - Try To Catch Me, by Shareef Dancer) stands at Darley’s Japanese operation. The two-time Group 1 winner Lion Tamer (Storming Home - Lioness, by Generous) will represent the sire in the Cox Plate.

The fifth member of the Darley-sired quintet, Avienus (Reset - Genova, by Darshaan) is the first emergency for the race. A start for the mare hinges of the fitness of the Gai Waterhouse-trained Descarado (High Chaparral - Karamea Lady, by Lord Ballina).

Click here for the full Cox Plate field.

Swettenham Stud stallions made a lightning start to Tuesday’s Kyneton meeting with winners in the first two races of the day.

Keep The Faith (Sunday Silence - Duelling Girl, by Dayjur) got the day under way for Swettenham Stud with his success in the Hanging Rock Winery Maiden Plate (1887m). The Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained filly That’s What I Want (Dash For Cash - Coversinga, by Danasinga) completed Swettenham’s double with her win in the TVN Maiden Plate (1118m).

The smart debutant became Ellerton and Zahra’s 14^th winner of the season with her half-length success in the $12,000 race. The Flemington stable has done their part to support the local breeders with Victorian-based stallions providing half of the operation’s wins this season.

Meanwhile, the $300,000 yearling Instinction (Exceed And Excel - Delago Mist, by Encosta De Lago) cast aside his maiden status at his fourth attempt with a win in the Glen Erin Group Maiden Plate (1479m) at Kyneton. The Mick Price-trained colt began a double for Darley sires with his success.

The Peter Snowden-trained Cliques (Commands - Factional, by Octagonal) became the second leg of the Darley double with her win over older rivals in the NMIT Handicap (1479m).

The two sons of Danehill (Danzig - Razyana, by His Majesty) have sired the winners of 91 races between them with Commands (Danehill - Cotehele House, by My Swanee) producing 58 of those.

The final day of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in Newmarket on Thursday saw continued strong trade with a session that saw the two highest priced lots of the sale and 206 lots sell for 7,882,500 guineas at an average of 38,265 guineas and a median of 27,000 guineas.

In total the three day sale saw 635 lots sold for 25,284,500 guineas which represented a record turnover for the sale and up 14% on the last year’s total, whilst the average and median saw rises of 23% and 20% to 39,818 guineas and 30,000 guineas when compared to last year. There were a total of 23 private sales over the three days which took the clearance rate for the sale to 88%.

The top lot on the final day was Lot 1156, the Exceed And Excel colt out of Temple Of Thebes (Bahri) that was knocked down to the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Mark Richards for 260,000 guineas.

“At the beginning of the week, this was the one I said that we should have,” said Richards. “I did not want to go home without him. He should be an ideal type for Hong Kong; plenty of speed with some quality - he’s got a huge backside already!

“Exceed And Excel has had good performers in Hong Kong and is doing well in both hemispheres - it was a no brainer really.”

It was the final purchase from the Hong Kong Jockey Club team who purchased five lots in total at Books 1 and 2 for 800,000 guineas.

Exceed And Excel - Temple Of Thebes colt

Darley-homebred Helmet (3 c Exceed And Excel - Accessories, by Singspiel) produced a record-breaking performance to defeat Manawanui (Oratorio) in the $1 million Age Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1) on Saturday.

After being pressured for the early lead by Manawanui, Helmet was first into the straight but was chased all the time by Manawanui, who got to win a half-neck at the finish but had to settle for second place in new record time of 1:35.36.

“He’s probably the second best we have, Sepoy is the best, but this colt is very, very good,” said winning trainer Peter Snowden. “That was a super win, daring ride and the amount of improvement from this horse in the last month is unbelievable.”

“I said to Kerrin ‘be brave mate, you’re on the best horse in the race, be conservative but the last half mile, see what they’re made of’ and that’s what he did.”

“It was a great effort by my horse as I was worried about the trip and we had drawn barrier eight,”  McEvoy said. “We had to be positive and we were happy to take the chance that to get them to run us down. This fellow has great ability as we have seen.”

“It’s just good to see a horse with great ability match up in a Guineas like this. It was an enthralling race, I was worried Manawanui was going to get me but my fellow was good. He did the hard work and I could hear Manawanui coming but this horse is just exciting. When he switches on and does it all spot on he has got breathtaking ability.”

Helmet

Mega Rich (Exceed And Excel - Oceanfast, by Monde Bleu) maintained his dams 100% record when winning his Maiden by four lengths at Sale on Friday. Mega Rich is the seventh winner from seven foals to race for his dam and is a half-brother to the Group 1 winner and champion filly Alinghi (Encosta de Lago).

Mega Rich won in good style too, being ridden across to lead from a wide barrier and then kicked away into the straight to win comfortably.

“It was a pretty lacklustre field and I didn’t want to be held up behind horses,” winning jockey Daniel Moor said. ”He flattened out really well. He’s well bred and if he continues to improve he’ll hold his own in better races,” he said.

Mega Rich was entered for the 2010 Easter Yearling sale but was withdrawn and is now raced by his breeders Yarraman Park and partners. Apart from Alinghi, Oceanfast is the dam of stakes-placed Perfect Persuasion and Slice of Paradise, the dam of Group III winner Beneteau, who is currently serving his first season at Arrowfield.

Oceanfast has a yearling colt by More Than Ready (USA) and has foaled a colt by Fastnet Rock this season.

Outstanding three-year-old Sepoy (Elusive Quality - Watchful, by Danehill) is one of 12 entries for Friday night’s Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.

The Darley-owned colt had a look at the tight Moonee Valley circuit on Monday morning. Sepoy is one of three runners by Darley-based sires among the entries for the $500,000 sprint.

Peter Moody has nominated the Contract Racing-owned duo Curtana (Exceed And Excel - Razor Blade, by Blazing Sword) and Kulgrinda (Exceed And Excel - River Crossing, by Bellotto) for the Manikato Stakes.

The Manikato Stakes will be the first spring appearance for the high-quality Gai Waterhouse-trained mare More Joyous (More Than Ready - Sunday Joy, by Sunday Silence).

Robert Heathcote’s game sprinter Buffering (Mossman - Action Annie, by Anabaa) will also run in the Manikato Stakes after his gritty last-start win in the Group III McEwen Stakes (1000m).

Click here for the nominations for the Manikato Stakes, as well as the other seven races on Friday night’s Moonee Valley meeting.

Helmet (3 c Exceed And Excel – Accessories, by Singspiel) completely destroyed his rivals to run away with The Age Caulfield Guineas Prelude (Gr 3) at Caulfield.

The Darley homebred raced in second position to the home turn before accelerating clear under Kerrin McEvoy to score by three and a quarter lengths over Secret Hills (Starcraft) with Specter (Nadeem) in third.

“Today is the first time I can say he did everything right,” trainer Peter Snowden said. “He bounced perfect, he travelled good and relaxed well off the hot speed. He quickened into his stride, he’s got a magnificent stride. To me it’s only a touch of what the horse’s ability truly is.”

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy said that Helmet was always in control of the race. “I was pushing him along early and a few strides later he was like ‘ok I’ll do it for you now’. Then he travelled up and always travelled like a winner from the 1000m,” McEvoy said. ”We’ve all had faith in him but it was just getting a bit annoying with all his antics, today was a real positive step.”

Helmet has now won five of his eight races and won $894,800.