Racing: Xcellent time for comeback

New Zealand Horse of the Year, Xcellent, is set to resume racing next month.

Co-owner Paul Moroney said Xcellent would race next in the group one $100,000 Waikato Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa, Hamilton, on February 11 provided all went well with his preparation.

The weight-for-age contest, which will be Xcellent's first race since his third placing in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 1, will be the first of an ambitious campaign which could take in four races in four different countries.

"He's been in work for about four weeks and we decided about three days ago that the Waikato Sprint was the race for him to resume in," Moroney said.

"After that he will go to Australia next for the Australian Cup about four weeks later, then to Dubai and Hong Kong."

The Dubai race in late March will be the 2400m Dubai Sheema Classic, and the Hong Kong race will be the Queen Elizabeth Cup (2000m) in April.

Moroney said Xcellent was in good heart and should be ready to race to his best overseas, provided he strikes firm footing.

Xcellent is unbeaten in six New Zealand starts, his victories including the New Zealand Derby and the Kelt Capital Stakes.

But his Melbourne Cup third is the best of his three Australian runs, of which the other two were on soft going.

- NZPA