‘Flying’ Caviar makes claim on Flemington track record
- by:Adrian Dunn
- From:Herald Sun
- February 20, 2012 12:00am
Racegoers share the moment with Black Caviar and Luke Nolen on Saturday. Picture: Wayne LudbeySource: Herald Sun
BLACK Caviar is the new owner of the Flemington 1000m track record.
Well, that is if digital reproduction of Saturday’s Lightning Stakes done by Daily Sectionals, a company that provides Racing Victoria with an assessment of all race times in the state, is validated.
Daily Sectionals revealed yesterday that Black Caviar had stopped the clock in the Lightning Stakes at 55.44sec.
That time, which Daily Sectionals owner Vince Accardi said he had triple-checked, is 0.09sec faster than the 55.53sec posted at Flemington on Saturday.
And it is 0.06sec faster than the track record time Special recorded in the 1988 Lightning.
RVL racing manager Greg Carpenter said the Daily Sectionals report on the Lightning Stakes would be considered.
“Given this is below the usual variance, it’s something we’ll have to look at.”
Accardi said he’d gone through a “pretty rigorous test to triple cross-check myself” to ensure all the footage was clean and there had been no frame losses.
“We were fortunate that we had a head-on shot of the start so we couldn’t get that wrong and there was a very clear and concise line at the finish, so I feel it’s as perfect as I can get it using digital-age technology,” he said.
“Everything from my point of view demonstrates that 55.44sec is the time.”
Accardi described Black Caviar’s performance as “simply sensational” and the “best ever 1000m performance at Flemington”.
He said during the 9.98sec 200m split from the 600m to the 400m, she was running at 20m a second, which he described as astonishing.
Accardi rates horses’ performances in lengths – above or below the average of the first four horses across the line on dead to good tracks at the trip and distance.
“The result from the Lightning Stakes is that Black Caviar ran a phenomenal 16.6 lengths above the benchmark (for the track and distance on a dead to good surface),” Accardi said.
“The times she ran is like flying.”
Best yet for our champ, Black Caviar
- by:Adrian Dunn
- From:Herald Sun
- February 20, 2012 12:00am
Black Caviar’s spectacular Lightning Stakes success is being hailed as the equal best of her career. Picture: Wayne LudbeySource: Herald Sun
RACING Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter rates Black Caviar’s spectacular Lightning Stakes success as the equal best of her career.
While he was awestruck by the win, Carpenter said he did not believe it would raise the mare’s world rating of 132, which places her second behind unbeaten British galloper Frankel.
Carpenter said he had previously viewed Black Caviar’s triumph in last year’s 1200m Newmarket Handicap as her career-best win.
“It (the Lightning) was as good as any win she’s had,” he said.
“In the Newmarket she gave weight to very good horses. Forgetting ratings, forgetting times, the merit of her win in the Lightning was just as good as her win in the Newmarket.
“I thought her win in the Lightning Stakes was incredible. Hay List threw down the gauntlet and she responded convincingly.”
“Probably, he needs further recognition on what he’s achieved. Rocket Man is 125 and, on the evidence of what I saw, I’ll be mounting a case that Hay List is undervalued internationally,” he said.
