Australian phenom Black Caviar extended her unbeaten sequence to 21 with
another risibly easy victory Saturday, cantering home by a measured 1 1/4
lengths in the Group 1 Goodwood at Morphettville. Now the planet’s top-ranked
sprinter will indeed take on the world in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee at Royal
Ascot June 23.
“You’ve got an excitement machine coming your way,” trainer Peter Moody told
British racing fans, according to racingandsports.com.au.
Black Caviar was returning to the South Australian venue two weeks after
taking the Group 1 Robert Sangster over fellow distaffers. Back over the same
about six-furlong trip, but this time against males, the 1-20 favorite once
again pleased a sell-out crowd of 30,000, many brandishing her famous salmon
pink colors.
Lobbing along to the lead beneath regular rider Luke Nolen, Black Caviar
looked as if she were merely out for a stretch of the legs, a routine gallop, as
she made sport of her rivals. Indeed, it wasn’t the deepest Group 1. A few more
accomplished types had wisely avoided the supermare and headed in the opposite
direction to Saturday’s Group 1 B.T.C. Cup at Doomben, weakening the level of
the opposition in the Goodwood.
Black Caviar didn’t appear to take a deep breath under her top weight of 126
pounds, and drew off in midstretch. As her pursuers were flailing under
pressure, the undefeated mare strolled her last three-eighths in :34 en route to
a final time of 1:10 1/5 on the good turf.
We’re Gonna Rock, who had displayed Group 1 form back in 2010 before a
lengthy spell on the sidelines, flashed home late. He reduced the winner’s
margin without threatening her supremacy.
Nolen remarked how much Black Caviar had improved off the Robert Sangster,
which had been her first outing in more than two months.
“The other day she wasn’t the same horse, but today she was back to the
machine she is,” he said.
“She never got out of second gear.”
The Black Caviar team was unfazed by the diminishing margin of victory.
“No one’s ever given us any more for winning by big spaces,” Moody said.
“Luke looked after her. He was kind and we’re happy where we’re at.”
“I’m not a punter,” Nolen said. “I don’t worry about margins.”