Black Caviar shows she is ready to take on Frankel at Royal Ascot
The Telegraph
Swashbuckling Australian trainer Peter Moody hardly needs any push from this quarter to identify the right Royal Ascot target for Black Caviar, but the strongest hint yet that she is ready for a crack at Frankel in the Queen Anne Stakes was received when she took Saturday’s Lightning Stakes at Flemington, in Melbourne.
By By J A McGrath
8:41PM GMT 19 Feb 2012
Black Caviar was registering her 19th consecutive win when she accelerated away from the brilliant Hay List, who was rated 10lb behind her in last month’s World Thoroughbred Rankings. She had to be shaken up to win and had only a length and three quarters to spare, having been in receipt of 4lb.
But what has impressed me greatly is her ability to settle in behind the pace, no matter what the distance or the tempo being set up front. She has never been tested beyond seven furlongs, but there is no logical reason, given the evidence thus far, why she will be found wanting at a mile, even on an undulating, testing course such as Ascot.
Frankel’s free-going style of running means that if he races with the same natural exuberance at four as he did last summer, he would be there to be aimed at by a horse such as Black Caviar. It can only be hoped the Australian mare arrives in top shape for Royal Ascot. Owners and trainer have ample time to eye up the most appropriate objective.
