• by:Rod Nicholson and Brent Zerafa 
• From:The Sunday Telegraph 
• January 29, 2012 12:00am

Mighty mare: Black Caviar.Source: Getty Images

Black Caviar, who on Friday night at Moonee Valley won the Group 2 Australia Stakes to maintain her unbeaten run, will step up to 1400m for the first time next start in the Group 1 Orr Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday week, trying to emulate the legendary Ajax with 18 consecutive wins.

She will also start in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield on February 25.

Black Caviar, who ate up and was in great condition the morning after the race according to Peter Moody’s stable manager Jeff O’Connor, will step out of her comfort zone in both races over longer distances, and face stiffer competition, but Moody is confident she will maintain her unbeaten record and depart Victorian racing with 19 unbeaten runs, equalling the record shared by Gloaming and Desert Gold.

“Hopefully, this is the start of a wonderful six months,” Moody said after she blitzed the Australia Stakes field by 4 1/4 lengths, cruising to victory in only 0.15sec outside the 1200m course record set by Miss Andretti.

Moody said Friday’s meeting with connections would determine where the mare travels. Options are to run in the T J Smith Stakes in Sydney during the Easter carnival to have her rock-hard fit before racing at Royal Ascot.

Possibilities include races in Dubai, Japan, Hong Kong. Royal Ascot is set in concrete.

“We need to look at all the options and make some firm plans,” Moody said.

However, the trainer is acutely aware the big mare is not a machine and that her previous campaigns have been brief.

During her past three campaigns, she has had three runs, five runs and three runs before heading to the paddock.

Black Caviar has won $4.5 million.

Senior part-owner Neil Werrett, a Sydneysider, said seeing Black Caviar race at Randwick before she embarks on a Royal Ascot campaign is at the top of his wish list.

In a bid to capitalise on her popularity, the Australian Turf Club is exploring the option of making the inside area of Randwick open to patrons if Black Caviar does run in the T J Smith Stakes on April 14.

Not used since the early 1970s, the iconic ‘Flat’ could be reborn to increase crowd capacity for what could be Black Caviar’s attempt at a history-making 20th consecutive victory – and possibly her last run on Australian soil.

Redevelopment of the grandstands is placing an enforced cap on attendance at 10,500 during the autumn, and ATC chief executive Darren Pearce is hopeful of increasing this for the special occasion.

“Opening the ‘Flat’ is certainly high on the agenda should Black Caviar come to Sydney,” Pearce said.

“We are not exactly sure at this stage how many people we would be able to get into the infield, but it would definitely be in the thousands.”

After Black Caviar effortlessly recorded her 17th straight victory at Moonee Valley on Friday night leading UK bookmaking firm William Hill offered the mare at 4/5 to win at Royal Ascot this year.

The price allows for the mare to win either the King’s Stand Stakes over five furlongs, the Golden Jubilee Stakes over six furlongs or even the Queen Anne Stakes if she attempts the mile at the Royal meeting.

Peter Moody’s star mare was priced at 6-4 to win at Royal Ascot before she resumed on Friday night.

Lucy Rhodes for William Hill said: “Black Caviar’s winning run is showing no signs of abating, and should the Aussie speedster pay a visit to our shores we hotly fancy her to make it a winning one.”

Moody and Black Caviar’s owners are expected to resolve the mare’s overseas program in the next week now that she has successfully started her 2012 campaign.

As Moody said on Friday night, there are a myriad of options to consider including the Sydney autumn carnival, Dubai, Singapore and ultimately Royal Ascot.

William Hill may regard Black Caviar as a special to win at Royal Ascot but they still cannot see her toppling unbeaten UK star Frankel as the world’s best racehorse.

William Hill has Frankel favourite to top the world rankings again in 2012 and also prices the Australian mare as favourite to be the first of the pair to lose their unbeaten records.

They offer 6/1 about both Black Caviar and Frankel remaining unbeaten in 2012.

- To top the World Thoroughbred Rankings in 2012: 6-4 Frankel, 8-1 Black Caviar

- Lose unbeaten status in 2012 first: 4-6 Black Caviar, 2-1 Frankel, 6-1 both to remain unbeaten in 2012

• From:AAP 
• January 27, 2012 10:06PM

Luke Nolen rides Black Caviar to a comfortable win in the Group 2 Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley. Source: Getty Images

BLACK CAVIAR 5 year old brown mare (18-8-2006) Sire: Bel Esprit Dam: Helsinge (Desert Sun (GB)) View Pedigree Report Breeder: Mr R Jamieson Owners: G J & Mrs K J Wilkie, Werrett Bloodstock P/L Synd (Mgr: N Werrett), C & Mrs J Madden, P Hawkes & D M & Mrs J Taylor Colours: Salmon, Black Spots, Salmon And Black Spots Cap
Trainer:Peter G Moody (Caulfield)     Jockey:Luke Nolen 56.5kg     Barrier:1 Record: 17:17-0-0     Prizemoney:$4,500,050    1st Up: 7:7-0-0    2nd Up: 5:5-0-0 Track: 6:6-0-0     Dist: 13:13-0-0     Track/Dist: 6:6-0-0     Good: 8:8-0-0     Dead: 8:8-0-0     Slow: 0:0-0-0     Heavy: 0:0-0-0 Distance(s) Won: 1000 (4), 1200 (13)

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Moonee Valley Race 4 – 27.1.12MR04 Essendon Mazda Australia Stakes

Sectionals

Field Sectional Times				44.94		33.42		22.19		11.23		Race Time
Finish Split Times				800m		600m		400m		200m		1:09.44
1	6	Black Caviar	#1		44.27	[  3]	33.51		22.06	[  3]	11.23	[  1]	1:09.44
2	3	Zedi Knight			45.54	[  1]	34.02	[  1]	22.79	[  1]	11.60	[  2]	1:10.04
3	1	Doubtful Jack			46.12	[  2]	34.61	[  2]	23.38	[  2]	11.98	[  3]	1:10.76
4	2	Rock Classic			45.67	[  4]	34.39	[  3]	23.20	[  4]	11.87	[  4]	1:10.86
5	4	Sound Journey			46.06	[  5]	34.75	[  4]	23.53	[  6]	12.08	[  5]	1:11.25
6	5	Hollowlea			46.99	[  6]	35.79	[  5]	24.70	[  5]	13.06	[  6]	1:12.38
	7	Impulsive Dream	#2

Black Caviar ran a time of 1.09.44 min for the 1200m which was only .11 seconds outside Miss Andretti’s course record.

Runner Sectional Rates				1000m 800m		800m 600m		600m 400m		400m 200m		200m FINISH		1:09.44
1	6	Black Caviar	#1								10.83	[  1]	11.23	[  1]	1:09.44
2	3	Zedi Knight					11.52	[  1]	11.23	[  1]	11.18	[  2]	11.60	[  2]	1:10.04
3	1	Doubtful Jack					11.51	[  2]	11.23	[  2]	11.41	[  3]	11.98	[  3]	1:10.76
4	2	Rock Classic					11.29	[  3]	11.19	[  4]	11.32	[  4]	11.87	[  4]	1:10.86
5	4	Sound Journey					11.31	[  4]	11.22	[  6]	11.45	[  5]	12.08	[  5]	1:11.25
6	5	Hollowlea					11.20	[  5]	11.09	[  5]	11.63	[  6]	13.06	[  6]	1:12.38
	7	Impulsive Dream	#2

Moonee Valley – Friday, 27 January 2012
Track: Good

Race 4 Australia Stakes Group 2 1200m Time: 1:09.44. Sectional Time: 0:33.51 at 600m. Starters: 6. Weight For Age Open. Prizemoney: $200,000 – 1st: $120,000 2nd: $36,000 3rd: $18,000.

Fin Mgn Horse Details Trainer Jockey SP WGT 1 6. Black Caviar 5m   Bel Esprit x Helsinge (Desert Sun (GB)) P G Moody L Nolen (1) $1.05 56.5 Lot 520; 2008 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale; Vendor – SWETTENHAM STUD, Nagambie; Buyer – Moody Racing Pty Ltd  $210,000 Last Start: 1 – Flemington 5/11/2011, Patinack Farm Classic, 1200m Details

2 4.3 3. Zedi Knight 7g   Zeditave x Sly Sandra (Sealed Bid (NZ)) B J McCarthy J Mott (4) $31 58.5 Lot 355; 2006 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale; Vendor – CHATSWOOD STUD, Seymour.; Buyer – B McCarthy VIC  $35,000

3 4.5 1. Doubtful Jack 5g   Not A Single Doubt x Tootsie Roll (Marscay) P G Moody J Benbow (6) $51 58.5 Lot 384; 2008 MM Conrad Jupiters Yearling Sale; Vendor – Millbrook; Buyer – PETER MOODY RACING P/L  $100,000

4 9.3 2. Rock Classic 5g   Fastnet Rock x Midnight Ballet (Peintre Celebre (USA)) J B Cummings S W Arnold (2) $51 58.5

5 12.1 4. Sound Journey 7h   Good Journey (USA) x Written By Sound (NZ) (O’Reilly (NZ)) D E Magro G Boss (5) $101 58.5

6 19.1 5. Hollowlea 4g   Hidden Dragon x Cabaret Girl (Scenic (IRE))

AN excited crowd crammed into Moonee Valley to witness another chapter of the Black Caviar story and got just what they expected.

Chasing her 17th successive victory in the Group II Australia Stakes, the great mare made it six from six at the Valley and 13 from 13 over the 1200m trip.

And she did it with seeming ease and a minimum of fuss.

Sent out at the prohibitive odds of $1.05, Black Caviar gave Luke Nolen an armchair ride leading from barrier one on jumping away but letting Zedi Knight ($31) slide to the front soon after.

Nolen bided his time in second place and the world’s best sprinter cruised up to Zedi Knight on the home turn and let rip in the straight to score by 4-3/4 lengths with her stablemate Doubtful Jack ($51) a further 4-1/2 lengths away third.

“She’s terrific for our sport. Melbourne is probably the greatest sporting city in the world and to see people turn out and enjoy the evening like this is just tremendous,” Moody said.

“It’s just great for our industry. We need it. Racing often gets a kicking to death on the front page of the newspapers. This mare gets us on the front page for the right reasons.

“It’s great to be a part of it.”

Black Caviar’s time of 1:09.44 was just 0.15s outside the course record held by Miss Andretti and set in the 2006 Manikatro Stakes.

Miss Andretti went on to win the King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) at Royal Ascot.

A seven-time Group I winner and earner of a tick over $4.5 million in stakes, Black Caviar equalled Hong Kong superstar sprinter Silent Witness’s record of 17 straight wins and is now only two wins off the Australasian record of 19 held by Gloaming and Desert Gold.

“It’s great to see her back,” Moody said.

“Her attitude is good, her action is terrific so hopefully it’s the start of a wonderful six months.”

Moody confirmed Black Caviar’s next start would be in the Group I C F Orr Stakes at Caulfield on February 11, her first attempt at 1400m.

Plans are to take the five-year-old daughter of Bel Esprit to England for the Golden Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot and the July Cup (1200m) at Newmarket, after the Orr, the Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield and maybe one other run here.

“There’s a race for her every Saturday on the eastern seaboard of Australia and most parts of the world for the next six months,” Moody said.

“But we are going to sit down next Friday with the owners and have a meeting and that will tell us a bit more and get eveyone’s gut feeling.

“But I’m just pleased to enjoy tonight and have her back on track.”

Nolen indicated the Black Caviar could have broken the track record if he really put her to the sword but there was no need to overtax her.

“Obviously combined with her awesome talent, her giant stride and her relaxed attitude are the reasons she is such a champion,” he said.

“I’m not going to say she’s better than she was but she’s physically mature now and she felt strong underneath me.

“It’s a wonderful privilege to be on top of Black Caviar. I thank God every day,” he said.

MVRC chief executive Michael Browell said the club had expected about 8000 people but was so overwhelmed with long queues that it opened the gates and gave free entry to many of the waiting people with the final crowd estimated at 15,000.

AAP