Black Caviar has run her last race in Australia
- by:Ray Thomas
- From:The Sunday Telegraph
- February 19, 2012 12:00am
Record equalled: Black Caviar.Source: Herald Sun
THE great Black Caviar may have run her last race on Australian soil.
The world’s highest-rated sprinter was electrifying in her Lightning Stakes win at Flemington yesterday, equalling the 19 consecutive Australasian win record shared by Gloaming and Desert Gold. But trainer Peter Moody conceded she would not back up on Saturday in the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield.
“She had to have a softer win today to be buttering up three weeks in a row,” he said. “At this stage she probably has run her last race in Australia.”
Moody will meet the owners this week to decide on a trip to Dubai on March 31.
The only genuine chance Black Caviar has to run again on Australian soil is if the crew discards the lucrative Dubai race and instead decides to run in the William Reid Stakes over 1200m at Moonee Valley on March 23.
It would be nothing more than a track gallop for the mare at the Valley, ruling out any chance of a trip to Sydney before heading overseas.
Black Caviar was simply sensational coming back from the 1400m of the Orr Stakes last week to dominate a crack sprinting field over 1000m. She ran 55.53sec for the distance, at one stage pegging back rival Hay List with an extraordinary 9.98s sectional between the 600m and 400m before dashing clear at the 200m to win by 1 3/4 lengths. That 200m explosion demolished any chance of an upset and demonstrated what a superior athlete she is.
Black Caviar did her best Usain Bolt impersonation over the final 600m, running about as fast as a horse can run as she clocked an astonishing 31.78sec. Racing Victoria handicapper Greg Carpenter said it could not be proven that she didn’t break the course record of 55.5sec set by Special in 1988.
“In those days they only timed to 0.5s, so you wouldn’t know if Special ran 55.51 or 55.59. No matter, Black Caviar just endorsed herself as a champion,” he said.
A crowd of 22,806 was swept up in Black Caviar fever, and she obliged with one of the most brilliant and courageous wins of her career.
It was her fifth Group 1 success at Flemington, in itself a record. Phar Lap, Makybe Diva, Comic Court and Mahogany boast four wins at headquarters in Group 1 races.
“She is just a champion, an equine freak,” Moody declared. “I felt sorry forLuke (Nolen) and I told him so because this was her biggest challenge – and his. We were determined to dominate the race, to take it up to them. She and Luke did it perfectly.”
Nobody should underestimate Black Caviar’s feat of equalling the Australasian consecutive victory record of Gloaming and Desert Gold – they were outright champions. And she has done it without tasting defeat. The last galloper to do that on the international scene was Zenyatta, whose run ended at 19. Gloaming was one of five inaugural inductees into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame, alongside Carbine, Kindergarten, Phar Lap and Sunline.
He won 57 of his 67 starts with nine seconds – the only time he didn’t finish first or second was when he fell at the strand start in a race in New Zealand and took no part!
Desert Gold won 14 of his 19 consecutive races as a three-year-old filly, and ended her career with 36 wins.
Black Caviar is tired after equalling wins record
- by:Rod Nicholson
- From:Sunday Herald Sun
- February 19, 2012 12:00AM
THE great Black Caviar may have run her last race on Australian soil.
The world’s highest-rated sprinter was electrifying in her Lightning Stakes win at Flemington yesterday, equalling the 19 consecutive Australasian wins record shared by Gloaming and Desert Gold.
But trainer Peter Moody conceded she was not likely to back up on Saturday in the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield.
“She had to have a softer win today to be buttering up three weeks in a row,” he said.
“At this stage she probably has run her last race in Australia.”
Moody will meet with the owners this week to decide on a trip to Dubai on March 31.
The only genuine chance Black Caviar has to run again on Australian soil is if the crew discards the lucrative Dubai race and instead decides to run in the William Reid Stakes over 1200m at Moonee Valley on March 23.
Black Caviar was simply sensational coming back from the 1400m of the Orr Stakes last week to dominate a crack sprinting field over 1000m. She ran 55.53 seconds for the distance, at one stage surging past rival Hay List with an extraordinary 9.98s sectional between the 600m and 400m before dashing clear at the 200m to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
That 200m explosion demolished any chance of an upset and demonstrated what a superior athlete she is.
Racing Victoria handicapper Greg Carpenter said it could not be proven that she didn’t break the course record of 55.5 seconds set by Special in 1988.
“In those days they only timed to .5, so you wouldn’t know if Special ran 55.51 or 55.59. No matter, Black Caviar just endorsed herself as a champion,” he said.
A crowd of 22,806 was swept up in Black Caviar fever, and she obliged with one of the most courageous wins of her career.
This was her fifth Group 1 success at Flemington, in itself a record. Phar Lap, Makybe Diva, Comic Court and Mahogany boast four wins at headquarters in Group 1 races.
“She is just a champion, an equine freak,” declared Moody.
“I felt sorry for Luke (Nolen) and I told him so because this was her biggest challenge – and his.
“We were determined to dominate the race, to take it up to them. She and Luke did it perfectly.”
Nobody should under-estimate Black Caviar’s feat of equalling the Australasian consecutive victory record of Gloaming and Desert Gold – they were outright champions. And she has done it without ever tasting defeat.
The last galloper to do that on the international scene was Zayetta, whose run ended at 19.
Gloaming was one of five inaugural inductees into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame, alongside turf greats Carbine, Kindergarten, Phar Lap and Sunline.
He won 57 of his 67 starts, with nine seconds – the only time he didn’t finish first or second was when he fell at the strand start in a race in New Zealand and took no part. Desert Gold won 14 of her 19 consecutive races as a three-year-old filly, including the Hawkes Bay Classic, NZ Derby and Oaks, and the Great Northern Derby, Oaks and St Leger, finishing her career with 36 wins.
