After speculations all week over the first sire to serve the mighty Black Caviar, connections confirmed on Wednesday their undefeated turf queen’s maiden date would be with this season’s champion stallion Exceed And Excel.

Connections were thrilled to announce their official decision to send Bel Esprit mare Black Caviar, who retired with a perfect 25 from 25 record having amassed over $7.9 million in career earnings, to the soon-to-be-crowned 2012-13 Australian Champion Sire Exceed And Excel.

There were offers a plenty from the big studs since Black Caviar’s sensational retirement back in April, but it was Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Stud that won out.

While admitting the decision wasn’t easy, Black Caviar’s part-owner Gary Wilkie said it had been an exciting time and they felt privileged to have so many options for her initial mating.

“It has been a very thorough, painstaking but enjoyable process,” he said.

“Like all decisions with Black Caviar, we are very honoured and extremely privileged to be the ones in this predicament.”

While other big name sires including Redoute’s Choice, Fastnet Rock, Northern Meteor and More Than Ready who’s produced two Golden Slipper winners were all considered, Exceed And Excel won the battle based on his proven record in the breeding barn and his blueblood pedigree being a son of Danehill.

“There were a number of outstanding stallions that demanded our attention, and we are thrilled that Exceed And Excel will be Nelly’s first mating,” Wilkie said.

Exceed And Excel stands for $88,000 at Darley Stud in the Hunter Valley and fellow co-owner Neil Werrett said they wanted to keep a strong sprinting pedigree with Black Caviar’s first foal.

“Black Caviar is a very strong horse, and the advice we received was we should keep with a sprinting stallion, and Exceed And Excel is not only at the top of his game, but he produces good two-year-olds,” Werrett told The Daily Telegraph.

“He also has already proven bloodlines with Black Caviar’s family.

“It was a hard choice, but in the end Exceed And Excel seemed the logical choice.”

There’s also a connection between Exceed And Excel and Black Caviar’s former trainer Peter Moody.

He prepared the now-retired Reward For Effort to win the 2009 Blue Diamond Stakes which was Exceed And Excel’s maiden Group 1 winner.

As a sire he’s since gone on to produce more stakes winners than any other stallion in the world.

While Black Caviar holds the Australian record of 15 Group 1 victories, Exceed And Excel’s own time on the turf also produced plenty of success.

Retired after their three-year-old season he won seven of his dozen starts including the 2004 Newmarket Handicap.

Black Caviar won the same race seven years later and there’s no doubt their progeny will be set similar stardom.

Despite the nice price the Exceed And Excel – Black Caviar foal would fetch in the sales ring, Werrett confirmed the syndicate of owners planned to hang on to the first offspring.

“I’d love it if we could win just one Group 1 (with them),” he said, adding that another 25 victories like those of Black Caviar “won’t happen”.

The mating is set to take place in September making the foal due the following September in 2014.

Stay tuned to Races.com.au for all the latest Black Caviar news.

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