Excellent Reward for Cambridge Trainer

Yesterday's $50,000 Listed John Turkington Forestry Castletown Stakes (1200m) saw Excellent Reward put in a top performance to break his maiden and provide the first stakes win for his trainer Lauren Brennan.

Excellent Reward (Exceed and Excel x Lindisfarne) raced on the speed for jockey Jason Waddell before coming wide on the home turn to find racing room. Once in the clear the two-year-old showed good acceleration and claimed race leader Marechal (General Nediym) to win by a long neck.

Excellent Reward made a rocky start to his racing career when bucking off jockey Jason Waddell on debut at Counties in early April. The son of Exceed and Excel quickly made amends, producing an eye-catching fifth at Te Aroha before running a close second at his last start at Counties.

Providing trainer Lauren Brennan with her first stakes win, Excellent Reward is the 49th stakes winner for his sire Exceed and Excel who stands at Darley in Australia. He will now be sent to the spelling paddock before making his return to the track as a three-year-old next season.

Bred by Darley, Excellent Reward was passed in by Marc and Sarah Devcich's Henley Park at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2011 Karaka Select Sale. Now raced by Marc and Sarah, the stakes-winning gelding has now won over $30,000 in stakes.