Black Caviar: World's top sprinter to trial before imminent return

World Racing / Timeform / 13 January 2012 / Leave a Comment

The incomparable Black Caviar.

"Following Tuesday’s trial, Moody will have 10 days to prepare Black Caviar for her first target, the Group 1 Australia Stakes..."

The world's leading sprinter Black Caviar, whose rating of 135 has her behind only Allez France and Habibti among fillies/mares in Timeform's history, is reportedly due to have a private trial at Caulfield next Tuesday before attempting to win her 17th race in succession.

Jockey Luke Nolen, who has ridden the six-year-old to 13 of her 16 victories, expressed his belief that trainer Peter Moody wishes to use the jump out as a warm up for Black Caviar's summer-autumn campaign.

Nolen also stated how he had been aboard Black Caviar when breezing 1000m at the same track on Tuesday this week, where she impressed the jockey by quickening up for the last 400m despite Nolen's concern over wind levels.

The rider is in little doubt that Black Caviar comes to hand pretty quickly, but the fact that she's to make her first start since November 5 over 1200m, and not 1000m, has tempted connections to give her a "blowout" as a precaution.

Following Tuesday's trial, Moody will have 10 days to prepare Black Caviar for her first target, the Group 1 Australia Stakes under lights at one of her favourite courses, Moonee Valley, on January 27.

From then on she's to take in what will be her first two races over 1400m, namely the C F Orr Stakes on February 11 and the Futurity Stakes a fortnight later, both of which are run at Caulfied.

Both jockey and trainer have said how they see no problem with the extra distance but are of the belief that for Black Caviar to be able to produce her best over 1200m on undulating tracks (her summer targets are the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot and the July Cup at Newmarket), she needs to be well-used to tackling 1400m on the flat tracks of Australia.

While the mouth-watering match-up with Frankel looks highly unlikely to materialise unless both take in the only Group 1 race in Europe, Longchamp's Prix de la Foret in early October, the prospect of the great mare meeting fellow Antipodean speedballs Hay List and Sepoy (who, like his stablemate Helmet, is due to represent their trainer Peter Snowden in at the Dubai World Cup meetingbefore transferring to Godolphin) remains very likely.

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