Black Caviar: Mare to make Melbourne farewell

Champion mare Black Caviar will attempt to extend her unbeaten sequence to 24 wins in the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night...

Champion mare Black Caviar will attempt to extend her unbeaten sequence to 24 wins in the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night...

The race is expected to be the mare's final start in Melbourne and, as usual, she is likely to start long odds-on to prevail.

The Peter Moody-trained Black Caviar showed that she retained all of her old sparkle when slamming her Flemington rivals on her return from an eight-month absence, breaking the track record in the race named in her honour, and it would rank as a major surprise were she to taste defeat on Friday, facing only six rivals.

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Black Caviar News: Star mare to prepare at HQ prior to British debut

News / Timeform / 08 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Thee 135-rated Black Caviar

"The trainer has that Black Caviar is to have one final run on home soil (in April)..."

The world's best sprinter Black Caviar looks likely to spend a month in the headquarters of British racing, Newmarket, before her much-anticipated UK debut in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot...

Trainer Peter Moody's superstar, whose Timeform rating of 135 leaves her second only to Frankel in the list of world's top performers, is enjoying a break at present having run twice within a week when last seen.

The latest of her 19 wins came in the Group 1 Coolmore Lightning Stakes on February 18, while one more victory would see her pass Zenyatta's record set in 2010.

The trainer has that Black Caviar is to have one final run on home soil (in April) before being prepared for her British assignment, although such plans are far from set in stone.

Jeff O'Connor, racing manager to owner's G J Wilkie, Mrs K J Wilkie et al, has stated that plans will be finalised by this time next week, with races in Adelaide and Brisbane just some of the options open.

Black Caviar's first run in the UK is schedule to be on June 23 and connections have said how she will be flying across around the last week of May or first week of June.

A Betfair market remains open on whether Black Caviar can go undefeated throughout the 2011/12 season.

Camelot heads 143 colts remaining in the Investec Derby following the first forfeit stage for the premier Classic at Epsom on June 2....

Godolphin has 22 declared runners, including one reserve, for Super Saturday at Meydan on March 10 - the most valuable raceday in the UAE outside of Dubai World Cup night......

Invictus has emerged as a doubtful runner in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham......

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Global Racing Podcast: Frankel and Black Caviar to meet?

News / Timeform / 17 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

The mighty Black Caviar

With a big weekend of action 'Down Under', Timeform Radio brings you another international racing preview...

This week Paul Jacobs is joined by Timeform's Chief Correspondent Jamie Lynch and Gary Crispe from Timeform Australia to discuss a possible meeting of the mighty Frankel and Black Caviar this summer.

Gary also previews this weekend's Autumn Carnival action as "The Cav" looks to make it 19 wins out of 19 in the Group 1 Lightening Stakes, in which she will be dropping back to 1000m and taking on old rival Hay List.

Click here to listen to this week's Global Racing Podcast.

Last week the world's highest Timeform rated sprinter Black Caviar (135+) put to rest any doubts about her handling 1400m with an emphatic victory in the G1 C F Orr Stakes at Caulfield however on Saturday she faces a new challenge....

Long Run's connections declared themselves thoroughly satisfied after the Cheltenham Gold Cup hero continued his Festival preparations with a workmanlike victory at Newbury....

Champion Hurdle hopeful Zarkandar landed Newbury's Betfair Hurdle on Friday, whilst Long Run got back to winning ways and Sprinter Sacre enhanced his already lofty reputation......

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Lightning Stakes Preview: New challenge awaits Black Caviar

News / Timeform / 16 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

Black Caviar fans will be out in force

"A win in the Lightning Stakes will clinch the Australian record of consecutive victories for Black Caviar in her own right..."

Last week the world's highest Timeform rated sprinter Black Caviar (135+) put to rest any doubts about her handling 1400m with an emphatic victory in the G1 C F Orr Stakes at Caulfield however on Saturday she faces a new challenge.

In the space of seven days she is dropping back 400m in distance from the Orr Stakes to tackle the G1 Lightning Stakes (off 05:10 GMT) down the straight 1000m at Flemington, a race she won fresh up last year.

The afterthought by trainer Peter Moody and connections to back Black Caviar up a week later in the G 1 Lightning Stakes rather than have a Saturday morning track gallop ahead of the G1 Futurity Stakes again over 1400m next Saturday has taken rival trainers by surprise.

Black Caviar maintained her unbeaten run in the Orr Stakes last Saturday with an effortless display over G1 Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed and multiple G 1 winner and Australian Cup placed Playing God recording her 18th victory and equalling the great Ajax's winning sequence achieved back in the late 1930's, but today she faces a totally different assignment.

Opposed to her are old "sparring partner" Hay List, up and coming three-year-old sprinter Foxwedge who pushed Sepoy to a head down the Flemington straight in the Spring, G1 Goodwood Handicap winner Lone Rock as well as other accomplished specialist sprinters all aimed at producing their best first up over the Flemington 1000m.

The task of dropping back 400m in the space of a week and tackling such a fine group of speedsters raises concerns as to whether she will have sufficient speed in her legs especially after being trained specifically for two 1400m races, which was to be her original race programme.

Call the decision arrogant if you dare but obviously Moody and the connections are clearly eager to bag the 20 consecutive wins she needs to surpass the great Zenyatta whose unbeaten run was abruptly terminated when unluckily defeated by Blame at her 20th start in the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic.

A win in the Lightning Stakes will clinch the Australian record of consecutive victories for Black Caviar in her own right and set a record that will stand for many a year, however she will not have history on her side.

The G1 Lightning Stakes was first run in 1955 and the most relevant past occurrence to what lies ahead for Black Caviar was the attempt by the smart three-year-old sprinter Star Of Heaven trained by Angus Armanasco and owned by Stanley Wootton.

In 1965 Star Of Heaven was beaten half a head in the Orr Stakes over 1400m behind Future before dropping back to the 1000m of the Lightning Stakes where he was again beaten a half head this time by in form classy sprinter Marmion. However the gap between the races was 14 days not seven as it is today.

To further demonstrate the task that lies ahead for Black Caviar, a search of Australian race results for the last 10 years reveals that no horse at Listed or group level in Australia has attempted such a drop back in distance within seven days.

Further on Australian metropolitan racetracks in non black type races, just one horse from 25 that attempted it has been successful and that was back in 2001.

On country and provincial racetracks the record is 33 winners from 350 horses to have attempted the feat.

It is an infinitely easier task for horses to go from the Lightning Stakes to the 1400m of the Futurity Stakes a fortnight later with Todman (1960), Schillaci (1993) and Testa Rossa (2000) executing that double.

While the ease of her Orr Stakes win last start surprised many, she is likely to be asked to do more on Saturday. Not only does the drop back in distance at the elite level within a week pose a new challenge for the wonder mare but the opposition she faces have all been set for the 1000m scamper, the most notable being classy sprinter Hay List.

Hay List (Timeform rated 128) is the only horse in Australia to have seriously tested Black Caviar at G1 level. In four previous match ups he has been runner up three times but this afternoon he is perfectly placed to make Black Caviar raise a sweat.

The last time the pair met was in the BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben in May of 2011 where he finished two lengths behind Black Caviar after getting what appeared to be a winning break at the 300m mark, only to succumb to her superior acceleration over the concluding stages. Black Caviar and Hay List also met in last year's Lightning Stakes with over three lengths separating the pair on that occasion.

In any other era of Australian racing, Hay List would be acclaimed as one of the best sprinters produced. With a Timeform rating of 128 he compares favourably with past classy sprinters such as Choisir, Scenic Blast, Miss Andretti, Schillaci, Placid Ark and Starspangledbanner to name a few, but Black Caviar has dominated him in the past.

However that may change slightly at Flemington. Hay List, who wear blinkers for the first time, has not raced since their last meeting, the hulking sprinter given plenty of rest to overcome niggling injuries that plagued him during his last campaign. Trainer John McNair is very confident racegoers will see a different Hay List, injury free and rearing to go after sparkling track work and an effortless barrier trial win at Randwick last month.

The signs are there he will make a race of it today and the finish could get interesting if some of the speed is taken from Black Caviar's legs after being trained for 1400m assignments.

The chances against her don't stop with Hay List. Emerging three-year-old sprinting talent Foxwedge (Timeform rated 120p) is a horse expected to make his mark this preparation with connections already pencilling in Royal Ascot if all goes to plan.

To be ridden by Nash Rawiller, Foxwedge has raced just nine times for four wins but has continued to develop and mature during his short racing career to date.

This afternoon racegoers will see a vastly different colt to the one that almost caused the boilover of the Spring by nearly defeating Sepoy in the G1 Coolmore Stakes down the Flemington straight 1200m.

That was his highest rating performance to date but I am expecting him to build significantly on that figure this campaign. A strong point in his favour today is the excellent record three-year-olds have in the Lightning Stakes.

Black Caviar's surprise defence of her Lightning Stakes crown is going to be a contest to saviour. Not that on ratings she can be beaten but the dynamics of this race present a different challenge for her but one that all devoted racegoers are expecting her to handle in her usual dominant fashion.

No Recommendation: Black Caviar will be at prohibitive odds.
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Sprinter Sacre steps out of novice company for the first time in the rescheduled Betfair Super Saturday Chase at Newbury on Friday......

Jessica Harrington has decided against running Steps To Freedom at Dundalk on Friday and he will now head straight to next month's Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham......

Leading RSA Chase fancy Last Instalment has been ruled out of the Cheltenham Festival with a leg injury......

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Black Caviar: World's best sprinter threatens to raise 135 rating

Australia / Gary Crispe / 11 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

Can Black Caviar raise her rating from 135?

"This makes Black Caviar rate 134+ for her Orr Stakes win, but importantly it sends a clear signal her master Timeform rating of 135 could be threatened in coming starts."

The highest Timeform-rated sprinter in the world, the unbeaten Black Caviar, posted a record equalling victory at Caulfield on Saturday, claiming her eighteenth consecutive success on a major Australian racetrack, and now looks set to raise her rating beyond 135...

Black Caviar who continues to monster her opponents into submission with dazzling mid-race sectionals now shares 18 straight victories with Ajax who in the late 1930's achieved the same feat mid career.

Black Caviar now sits equal third with Eclipse and Karayel on the global undefeated racehorse list. Ahead of her lay US galloper Pepper's Pride on 19 wins and Hungarian galloper Kincsem with a staggering unbeaten run of 54.

Even though she was attempting 1400m for the first time, it really made no difference to the manner in which she inflicted defeat on her rivals.

Today's field comprised mainly middle distance gallopers working through to bigger spoils in the Autumn, a fact some have used to downplay the opposition she faced.

However the Orr Stakes is usually a race used for that purpose and many classy middle distance types have often recorded outstanding wins in the race.

For example, if Black Caviar had not contested today's race, 2011 Group 1 Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed would have beaten dual Group 1 winner Playing God - a result which would have sat very well in the history of the race.

The fact is those two very good in-form gallopers faced a freak galloper and despite running their hearts out were completely outclassed in the last 400m.

The merit of the Black Caviar performance was calculated to be 128+, a figure which sits just under the maximum possible value based on race standardisation but acceptable considering most of field ran to form.

The other factor in the analysis is the manner of the win. Apart from one 200m section from the 400m to the 200m, Black Caviar never really came off the bridle and idled to the line over the final 250m.

It is hard to say just how much Black Caviar had in reserve but under the circumstances an additional two lengths is completely justified for the ease of win.

This makes Black Caviar rate 134+ for her Orr Stakes win, but importantly it sends a clear signal her master Timeform rating of 135 could be threatened in coming starts.

Race time analysis is pretty much meaningless in this case as the early tempo was quite slow. The overall race time was over two seconds outside standard but the sectional times reveal the true story of just how potent Black Caviar was.

She settled beautifully behind that slow pace and from the 1200m to the 600m ran mid 12 second sectionals, but once rider Luke Nolen called on her to quicken from the 600m she once again showed her devastating acceleration that quickly overwhelms her opposition.

Black Caviar quickened to 11.27 seconds (17.75 mps) between the 600m to 400m and then as she nearly always does, went to 10.64 seconds (18.8mps) between the 400m to the 200m quickly putting the race out of the reach of her opponents before idling home in 11.07 seconds (18.06mps).

And the 10.64 seconds 200m sectional time she ran today on a dead racing surface is not even as fast as she can go. For example her fastest 200m sectional was achieved in her 2011 Newmarket win from the 600m to 400m where she went 10.27 seconds (19.47mps).

Her next slowest sectional was in the 2011 Lightning Stakes from the 600m to 400m in 10.34 seconds (19.34mps) and third slowest 10.42 seconds (19.19mps) in the 2011 Schillaci Stakes between the 800m to 600m.

As we can see, Black Caviar's ability to reel off dominant sectionals is the real key to her superior equine ability, and the frightening part is she appears to do it with such ease!

Black Caviar has now won eight Group 1 races which places her second only to the great New Zealand mare Sunline (13 wins) on the modern all time list for mares.

Black Caviar's winning margin of three-and-a-quarter lengths is the second biggest margin in the last 20 Orr Stakes renewals and for the third year in succession Peter Moody and Luke Nolen have combined to win the Orr Stakes with a mare, Typhoon Tracey taking the same race in 2010/2011.

There was talk after the race that Peter Moody was considering a change of future race plans for Black Caviar. Instead of going straight to the G1 Futurity Stakes again over 1400m at Caulfield in a fortnight, Moody is contemplating a drop back to the 1000m of the Group 1 Lightning Stakes down the Flemington straight.

If it eventuates, Black Caviar would have an unexpected rematch with her arch rival Hay List, emerging three-year-old Foxwedge and Sister Madly to name a few.

Such a move is unprecedented in Lightning Stakes history but if any horse could do it, Black Caviar can!
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A step up to seven furlongs proved to be no barrier to success for the incredible Black Caviar as she stretched her unbeaten record to 18 in the CF Orr Stakes at Caulfield......

Timeform's man 'Down Under', Gary Crispe, assesses how Black Caviar is likely to fare when stepping up in trip in the CF Orr Stakes (off 04:50 GMT) at Caulfield on Saturday....

On the eve of the best sprinter in the world attempting to take her career wins to a straight 18, Timeform brings you another international racing podcast......

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Dominic Beirne: Black Caviar won't fail at 1400

Australia / Editor / 10 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

The flags will be out for Black Caviar on Saturday

“begin with the presumption that the champion mare will win and focus on the race for second and third.”

Australia's most revered form student Dominic Beirne has renewed his popular association with Betfair in time for Saturday's C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield, and is unsurprisingly predicting Black Caviar to cruise to a comfortable victory at her first attempt at 1400 metres.

In his weekend form assessment compiled exclusively for Betfair punters, Dominic suggests the best way to profit from the Orr Stakes is to "begin with the presumption that the champion mare will win and focus on the race for second and third."

"The race for second placing looks very likely to go to Southern Speed, who is assessed at $1.40 to run second," Beirne reveals.

"She's a group one winner, has won her past two at the track and won last start at the track and distance."

Dominic believes the fight for third is far more open with Danzylum a leading contender by virtue of the fact that his "last seven wins have all been at 1400 metres."

Sydney race goers will be consumed by their form guides today in preparation for an 11 race card at Rosehill, highlighted by the group two Expressway Stakes.

Brilliant sprinter Rain Affair is the hot favourite at $1.77 on Betfair, and Beirne believes the odds-on quote is justified at the four-year-old's first tilt at group two level.

"Rain Affair meets a very strong field, however nearly all runners are either first up from a spell or forced to concede a large start.

"The forecast rating for Rain Affair is actually slightly above the group two WFA standard and given those circumstances I think this potential rating will be good enough to win," Beirne concludes.

Beirne's exclusive Betfair analysis will stretch far and wide this autumn in the search for value and tomorrow Dominic's 'best exotic' bet is at Ascot in Western Australia.

Dominic's complete form analysis for Saturday's feature races is available HERE.

The connections of Kiwi stayer Roi D'Jeu have enlisted expert local knowledge by engaging Tasmanian Racing Hall of Fame jockey and seven-times premiership winner Stephen Maskiell to ride the six-year-old in Sunday's $225,000 Hobart Cup......

With Black Caviar's 17-race unbeaten stretch expected to be extended when the mare steps up to 1400m for the first time on Saturday, Betfair have opened up two new special markets on the race......

Unbeaten champion Black Caviar will face eight rivals in Saturday's $400,000 C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield (due off 04:50 GMT) when she goes for her 18th straight victory and her eighth at Group 1 level......

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C. F. Orr Stakes: Black Caviar day at Caulfield

Australia / Gary Crispe / 08 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

Black Caviar goes for win no.18 on Saturday

Unbeaten champion Black Caviar will face eight rivals in Saturday's $400,000 C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield (due off 04:50 GMT) when she goes for her 18th straight victory and her eighth at Group 1 level...

Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed is the notable opponent to Black Caviar in the C. F. Orr Stakes, along with G1 winners Efficient and Playing God.

Black Caviar's trainer Peter Moody, winner of the last two Orr Stakes (1400m) with Typhoon Tracy, will also be represented Doubtful Jack.

The Orr Stakes is the highlight of a card that also features two Blue Diamond Preludes.

Malasun is the headliner among the Prelude runners after the Mick Price-trained filly made a briulliant start to her career at Caulfield last month. She is the only two year-old still in contention to win the $1 million bonus associated with the Blue Diamond Series.

She will again clash with Member's Joy, owned by the Melbourne Racing Club Members' Horse Club. Members Joy, suffered her sole defeat when beaten by Malasun on Australia Day.

Patrons will be admitted free of charge to Saturday's meeting.

The Black Caviar theme will see Caulfield draped in salmon and black and her official Cheer Squad to travel en masse from Flinders Street Station on the "Black Caviar Express" to Caulfield.

Free Black Caviar flags and masks will be available upon entry, and patrons visiting a dedicated Black Caviar marquee will enjoy themed activities including a photo booth and autograph signings.

Retired champions residing at Living Legends Silent Witness and Apache Cat will also be paraded.

Top Australian jockey Kerrin McEvoy will team-up with Godolphin once more when he rides both Sepoy and Helmet on Dubai World Cup night......

Antipodean supermare Black Caviar notched her 17th straight victory with the minimum of fuss in the Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley....

All eyes will be on Moonee Valley on Friday when six rivals will take on Black Caviar in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (due off 09:15 GMT) as she attempts to stretch her unbeaten run to 17......

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Patinack Farm Classic: Black Caviar fans will make a statement

News / Gary Crispe / 04 November 2011 / Leave a Comment

Black Caviar is aiming for a 16th straight victory at Flemington.

"Black Caviar is the most popular horse to race in Australia since triple Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, with her public aura rivalling the adoration that was bestowed on champions Phar Lap and Kingston Town"

Wearing salmon and black will be much more than a fashion statement at Flemington on Saturday when Black Caviar's growing army of fans turn out to watch her shoot for her 16th straight victory in the $1 million Patinack Farm Classic...

It has become the norm for racegoers to wear a combination of salmon and black to match Black Caviar's silks whenever she is racing.

Black Caviar is the most popular horse to race in Australia since triple Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, with her public aura rivalling the adoration that was bestowed on champions Phar Lap and Kingston Town at the height of their careers.

The racing public expect her to win the Patinack Farm Classic and so does her jockey Luke Nolen.

In fact, Nolen believes Black Caviar is ready for the peak performance of her brief spring campaign, expecting the mare will go to another level after her recent wins at Caulfield and Moonee Valley.

She faces only six rivals, three of them stable mates while the other three have at some stage in their careers tried to match it with the champion mare only to have their hearts broken.

"She'll be peaking tomorrow and what we'll see tomorrow is probably Black Caviar at her best in Melbourne this spring," Nolen said.

However Nolen said Black Caviar will not be racing the clock

"As long as she's winning, it doesn't matter. They don't pay any more for breaking track records," he said.

"I'll just ride her to win."

Black Caviar is aiming for back to back wins in the Patinack Farm Classic. It will be her seventh Group 1 win, her sixth race win at Flemington and will take her prize money past $4 million.

In last year's Patinack Classic she was ridden by Ben Melham, only one of three times that Nolen has not been her rider as he was serving a suspension.

It's been a frustrating Melbourne Cup week for Nolen as he is winless after 20 rides on the first three days of the carnival, a rare statistic for last season's Melbourne premiership winner.

Black Caviar's trainer Peter Moody has also been winless with 15 starters on the first three days of the carnival.

Moody said the $1 million prize money and Group 1 status of the Patinack Classic are the reason why he is lining up three stablemates, all mares, against Black Caviar on Saturday.

"A Group 1 placing on their resume would mean a lot to their pedigrees as they are all multiple stakes winners," he said.

"I don't expect them to be competitive with Black Caviar. They are racing for second or third."

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Mosheen, trained by Robert Smerdon, slammed her rivals this morning to claim a nine-length victory in the VRC Oaks at Flemington......

A classy field of 19 horses have been entered for the Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 19, including last season's Gold Cup and King George winner Long Run and outstanding veteran Kauto Star......

Flemington hosts the Grade 1 Emirates Stakes on Saturday......

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