Xcellent

Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = Xcellent


caption =
sire = Pentire
grandsire = Be My Guest
dam = Excelo
damsire = Centro
sex = Gelding
foaled = 2001
country = New Zealand
colour = Bay
breeder = G F Gimblett Family Trust
owner = G W Breingan, G K V Holdings Ltd, M J Gatt, P A Heath, D A Nicholson & Wellington Racing Syndicate
trainer = Michael Moroney
record = 13:8-0-1
earnings = $1,499,950
race = New Zealand Derby (2004)
Kelt Capital Stakes (2005)
New Zealand Stakes (2005)
Mudgway Stakes(2005)
awards = NZ Horse of the Year (2005,2006)
honours =
updated= July 3, 2007

Xcellent is a New Zealand thoroughbred racehorse who was trained by Michael-Patrick Moroney.

He won 6 races from his first 9 career starts, including four Group Ones - The New Zealand Derby and New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie, and the Mudgway Stakes and Kelt Capital Stakes at Hastings. On November 1, 2005, he ran third in the Melbourne Cup, behind three-time winner Makybe Diva.

In early 2006, Xcellent broke down and was out of action for 18 months before returning to the track in the 2007 Stradbroke Handicap and doing little on an unsuitably wet track under a large weight.

Beginning another campaign in December 2007, he remained unbeaten in New Zealand in scoring a stunning win first up in the Group 3 Sir James Fletcher Stakes over 1600m at Ellerslie against a strong field including the likes of Sir Slick and fellow Derby winner Wahid. He suffered his only defeat in New Zealand when finishing second to Sir Slick in the Group 1 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. In January 2008, Xcellent won the Group 3 Trentham Stakes. However, he pulled up sore after that race, and had to be led back riderless to the birdcage. It was discovered he had damaged a tendon, and his retirement was announced the following day.

In the 2005-06 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings: 1st August 2005 - 31st July 2006, Xcellent was ranked 18th by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. He was the New Zealand Horse of the Year in both the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.

ee also

Millionaire Racehorses in Australia

References

* [http://www.ifhaonline.org/resources/2005-06Rankings/2005-06_WorldRankings.asp The 2005-06 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings: 1st August 2005 - 31st July 2006]
* [http://www.xcellent.co.nz/ Xcellent website]
* [http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411317/604076 Xcellent takes Horse of the Year award]
* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/xcellent Xcellent's pedigree and stats]