After a false alarm earlier this week, it’s been confirmed Black Caviar will be covered by Australia’s champion-elect sire Exceed And Excel in September.

After months of speculation, the champion mare’s owners targeted the Darley stallion after initially narrowing the decision down to a half-dozen possible first-time suitors.  Other stallions in the mix were More Than Ready, Not A Single Doubt, Fastnet Rock and Casino Prince.

“It has been a very thorough, painstaking but enjoyable process,” part-owner Gary Wilkie said.  “Like all decisions with Black Caviar, we are very honoured and extremely privileged to be the ones in this predicament.”

Black Caviar (6m Esprit – Helsinge by Desert Sun) retired in April after completing an unbeaten 25 start career in the G1 T J Smith Stakes at Randwick.

Exceed And Excel (Danehill) stands at Darley Kelvinside in the Hunter Valley at a fee of $88,000 (inc gst).  He will be crowned Australia’s champion sire for the first time when the current season concludes next Wednesday night, July 31.

Black Caviar was ranked the World’s Champion Thoroughbred for the first half of 2013 by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities last week.  She had been rated World Champion Sprinter for the third year in a row by the IFHA at the end of 2012.