After finishing second to the unbeaten Frankel in his first two starts of 2012 he recorded successive victories in the Prix Jacques Le Marois and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

He was trained by Marco Botti until being transferred to Aidan O'Brien at the end of the 2011 flat season.

Bred by Owenstown Stud, he is the son of Exceed and Excel, an Australian horse that won the Newmarket Handicap.

Starting as the 11/8 favourite, he won by 1½ lengths from Rio De La Plata in a field that also included Dubawi Gold and Planteur.

[7] His last race of the season came in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Champions' Day at Ascot.

Excelebration's next start came in the Prix Jacques Le Marois, which he won by 1¼ lengths from Dubai Duty Free Stakes winner Cityscape.

[12] On his final appearance, Excelebration was sent to California to contest the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita Park.

He started favourite but lacked his customary turn of foot and finished fourth of the nine runners behind the US trained horse Wise Dan.

At the end of 2012 he was ranked as the joint-third-best horse in the world with Black Caviar, behind only Frankel and Cirrus des Aigles.