Promising Perth sprinter Born To Excel has been tipped out for a spell following an unlucky placing in the G3 Lee-Steere Classic (1400m) at Ascot on Saturday.

Trainer Dan Morton rates the grey colt very highly and believes he will benefit from a break before resuming next year.  “Born To Excel is top shelf,” Morton claimed.  “There’s class stamped all over him.”

Born To Excel (3c Exceed And Excel – Born Priceless by Pricelessly) was forced to travel wide from the tricky 1400m start before assuming the lead in the Classic.  He fought back gamely to finish less than a length from Night War on a day when all the winners arrived from the back half of the field.

He is raced by Yarradale Stud owner Ron Sayers in partnership with Steve and Helen Palmer, Peter Blackburn and Greg Black.  Sayers retained a share after selling him for $200,000 at the 2010 Perth Magic Millions.

Born To Excel is by Darley sire Exceed And Excel and his dam Born Priceless was a G2 winner of the 2001 Karrakatta Plate.  Yarradale has catalogued her Bernardini colt as Lot 64 at the 2012 Perth Magic Millions and the mare foaled a colt by Rock Of Gibraltar in October.

Born To Excel won on debut at Northam in October and went into the Lee-Steere Classic off a brilliant victory a Ascot on November 23.

Morton also trains Bliss Street for a syndicate that includes Sayers and Geisel Park owner Eddie Rigg.  The Flying Spur filly won the G3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes and travelled east this season to capture the G3 One Thousand Guineas Prelude at Caulfield.