Odds on when breaking his maiden with a heart-stopping win at Goulburn on August 25, the progressive 3-year-old Exceedance colt Cristal Clear made it two on the bounce with a considerably more comfortable watch for connections in the Dentavision Hcp (1600m) at Hawkesbury on Thursday.
Ridden by Jason Collett for Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald, Cristal Clear made all the running and had his four rivals off the bit chasing on straightening.
Kept up to the mark by Collett, the son of Exceedance ran the 1600m out strongly to defeat the honest Toronado (IRE) 4-year-old gelding Copacabana by a length with the $1,500,000 Pierro entire Pasima one and three-quarter lengths back in third.
Cristal Clear was a $50,000 purchase for Group One Thoroughbreds / Annabel Neasham Racing from the Noorilim Park draft at the 2023 Inglis Ready2Race Sale.
Bred by Echo Beach Bloodstock, Brian Singer, Cristal Clear is the second foal and second winner for the smart All Too Hard mare Cristal Eyes, the winner of three of 12 starts and third behind Khulaasa and Krone in the Group III TBV Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes at her second start.
Echo Beach Bloodstock purchased Cristal Eyes for $100,000 at the 2017 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She is a three-quarter sister to Villermont (All Too Hard), winner of the Group II MRC Sandown Guineas and Group III BRC Gunsynd Classic, and a half-sister to Flying Evelyn (Not A Single Doubt), winner of the Group III VRC Red Roses Stakes.
Cristal Eyes is a granddaughter of Group 1 STC Coolmore Classic heroine Bollinger (Dehere), the daughter of Golden Slipper winner Bint Marscay.
Danny O'Brien Racing had the final say at $120,000 for the So You Think half-sister to Cristal Clear offered by Vinery Stud at the 2024 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
One of only two stallions to sire more than one stakes-winner from the first crop last season, Exceedance has made a fast start to the current term with four winners.
