Champion Australian mare Black Caviar has been officially retired by trainer
Peter Moody and her owners. The announcement was made at a press conference held
at Moody’s Caulfield Racecourse stable in Melbourne on Wednesday.
The news comes on the back of Black Caviar’s thrilling 25th straight victory
in Saturday’s Group 1 T.J. Smith in Sydney.
While the the Goodwood, BTC Cup and a trip to Royal Ascot in June had been
mooted by Moody as a possible 26th start, the leading trainer said Black Caviar
had nothing left to prove.
“The owners and I have had a long chat over the last couple of days, deciding
this afternoon at lunchtime that 25 was a great number,” Moody said. “We thought
she did us proud on Saturday.
“Collectively we’ve decided that the mare’s in great shape; we’ve thought
long and hard about racing on for another season. At the end of the day we
believe she’s done everything we’ve asked her to do and she could possibly have
done no more. It’s the right time to call it a day on what’s been a wonderful
career and one of the finest horses we’ve ever seen.”
Undefeated in 25 lifetime starts — 24 of them stakes — Black Caviar was
triumphant at the top level 15 times. Her Group 1 victories included three
editions of the Lightning; two editions each of the T.J. Smith, Victoria Racing
Club and William Reid; and the BTC Cup, Newmarket Handicap, Goodwood Handicap,
C.F. Orr, and Robert Sangster.
In her lone race outside Australia, Black Caviar was a thrilling,
photo-finish winner of the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee at the 2012 Royal Ascot meet
in England.
A six-year-old daughter of Bel Espirt, Black Caviar bankrolled nearly $7.5
million and was the two-time reigning Australian Horse of the Year.
Produced by the Desert Sun mare Helsinge, Black Caviar is a half-sister to
current multiple Group 1 winner All Too Hard. Helsinge is herself a half-sister
to Group 1 winner Magnus and Group 2 winners Scandiva and Wilander.
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