Born To Excel lived up to his pedigree with a promising start to his career in the Northam Race Club Maiden (1000m) on Friday.

The Yarradale Stud bred colt was sent to the Avon Valley to make his debut at the CHOGM public holiday meeting.  Starting an odds-on favourite, he overcame a slow getaway to spear through a gap in the straight for a convincing victory.

Born To Excel (3c Exceed And Excel – Born Priceless by Pricelessly) is trained by Dan Morton and he defeated stablemate Nova Park (Bletchley Park) by over a length in 58.30 seconds.

Morton has always rated the winner since buying him for $200,000 at the 2010 Perth Magic Millions.  “He’s a really nice colt by a great stallion in Exceed And Excel,” Morton said.  “The dam had a lot of ability, too.”

He is raced by Steve and Helen Palmer, Greg Black and Yarradale owner Ron Sayers who retained a share after the sale.

Born To Excel belongs to the same southern crop as Exceed And Excel’s G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Helmet.  That crop conceived at Darley Kelvinside now numbers 32 individual winners.

His dam Born Priceless won a G2 Karrakatta Plate carrying the Yarradale colours in April 2001.  

The mare’s colt by Darley sire Elusive Quality topped this year’s Perth Magic Millions at $240,000.  He was snapped up by Impressive Racing trainer Darren McAuliffe.

“I looked after Born Priceless when I was working as a strapper for Lou Luciani,” McAuliffe recalled after signing the sale sheet.  “He’s a good, tough looking colt.  He’s not that big but his mum wasn’t either and she won a Karrakatta Plate!”

Born To Excel and his younger half-brother hail from one of Sunspeed’s most successful families through their second dam Born Rich (Beau Sovereign).  She has generated 11 stakes winners including the G1 winners Rostova (SAJC Robert Sangster Stakes) and Imananabaa (NZ Railway Hcp).