Excelling is SW14 for Manhattan Rain after winning Sunday’s Merlion Trophy (1200m) at Kranji.
Covered up behind the leaders to the home turn, Excelling was able to come through between horses early in the straight under Harry Kasim and went clear, defeating Bold Thruster (Turffontein) by half a length with Surpass Natural (Elvstroem) a neck away third.
It is the seventh win from 18 starts for Excelling, a $20,000 Inglis Melbourne weanling then sold for $NZ50,000 as a NZB 2YO-In-Training.
The Lee Freedman-trained Excelling is a half-brother to five winners including the Adelaide winner and Listed placed Miracle The Second (Stratum) and Melbourne winner Prince Stratum (Stratum).
Gr1 winner Manhattan Rain (Encosta de Lago) is advertised at $13,200 at Blue Gum Farm in Victoria in 2020.