CAUL OCT 09 - BLACK CAVIAR IS ALL CLASS AS SHE RESUMES HER WINNING WAYS IN THE SCHILLACI

By Taron Clarke | Monday, October 11, 2010

Caulfield, October 9, 2010.
Track - Dead 4. Rail - True. Penetrometer 5.28.
Schillaci Stakes 3YO+ WFA (Group 2) - 1000m.
Time: 56.68. 600m Sectional: 32.76. (Carrying 56.5kg).
1 Black Caviar; 2 Winter King; 3 General Truce.
Margins: 1.3L x 2.2L.

Victoria’s premier trainer Peter Moody will let the dust settle after a scintillating return to the racetrack by unbeaten mare Black Caviar in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes.

Moody is hesitant to identify a clear spring program for the daughter of Bel Esprit, due to the fact he needs to maintain some flexibility to adapt to the mares ability to recover and improve after her first run back from a ten month injury enforced absence.

Moody could either send the mare into a tantalising clash with Australia’s new found sprint hero Hay List in the Moir Stakes on Cox Plate Day or wait until the following week and race the unbeaten mare in the Salinger Stakes which is run up the Flemington straight six on Derby Day.

Whatever the path the astute Caulfield mentor takes, Black Caviar will prove a worthy opponent for the challengers.

From barrier two Luke Nolen bounced the Bel Esprit mare out of the gates and quickly into stride to take up a prominent position at the head of proceedings.

The David Payne trained Winter King was also quickly into stride and raced through to share the lead with Black Caviar and Mic Mac, who was three wide.

As the speedsters scorched turf towards the turn Damien Oliver on board Tully Dreamer set his mount alight and raced up five wide on the track to tackle the leading trio.

Via virtue of the inside running unbeaten mare Black Caviar railed through to hold the front in the early part of the straight.

Tully Dreamer was quickly beaten off and this left a clear passage for Winter King to set sail after Black Caviar who had kicked clear at the 300 metre mark.

Nolen had a lap full of horse on the hot-pot and after a quick look at the infield screen he shook the mare up and she exploded clear by three lengths to Winter King with a similar margin back to General Truce out wide the track.

Eased right down over the concluding stages by Nolen, Black Caviar scored by a length-and-a-quarter to the consistent Sydney sprinter Winter King with a further two-and-a-quarter lengths back to General Truce in third placing.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Peter Moody: “It's always nice to get them back. She's being going super at home but it's always heart in your mouth stuff, so it's just lovely to see her back.

“I said to the owners ‘the biggest thrill I'll get is tomorrow morning is when she walks out of the box in once piece.’

“A win was going to be a bonus, but with a horse with as much ability as her, we were just confident … but you know we would have been disappointed if she didn't win.

“She's been 110% sound. Full credit to my staff at home and Tony Hayden and his staff, Peter Clarke and the team up at Murchison, they've done a wonderful job getting her here in once piece.

“She's always had that soft muscle issue in her chest since she was a young horse and obviously she pulled a little bone away when she had a mild strain on her suspensory, so just with a horse so big and strong it always worries you, like it worries you with little petite things let alone one this size and with this much brilliance.”

Jockey Luke Nolen: “It was a really nice win. She's got a pretty economical action and the quicker she goes the better she feels.

“As slow as she goes sometimes you cringe a bit, but when she gets to top speed you put those fears to rest pretty easy.

“You love riding good horses and it's been a long year and a long way between the good ones, you know, so it's really exciting to be back on top of a quality animal.

“She wasn't here to have a gut-buster. We were here to win and we're here to get her through the run safely. Hopefully I think she has (come through), so we'll go to the next one and hope for the same result.

“Actually she felt a bit bigger today and feels a bit fatter also so, I think she's going to improve a hell of a lot out of that. Hopefully I haven't been too kind to her late and she'll take a lot of benefit away from the run.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Black Caviar): 1.70 out to 1.90 in to 1.80.
The winner was the favourite.

Horse to follow: Black Caviar is a worthy challenger for Hay List, and the title of Australia’s premier sprinter will go on the line in their next two outings. First up in ten months she demolished a quality field of sprinters to win eased down. She will improve from the run.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Tully Dreamer was slow to begin.

First Command which was pulling very hard had to be checked off the heels of Mic Mac near the 800m.

A subsequent veterinary examination of Mic Mac after the race revealed no abnormalities.

Passing the 400m Star Witness was inclined to hang out and was placed in restricted room to the inside of Winter King (NZ).

Inside the 300m Star Witness had to change course and shift out from behind Winter King to obtain clear running.

G Boss reported that Good Control did not appreciate the firm track conditions and was inclined to hang out throughout.

A post-race veterinary examination of First Command failed to reveal any abnormalities.

D Oliver (Tully Dreamer) explained that his mount wanted to pull quite hard in the early stages due to the tempo and when he elected to come to the outside of First Command and improve his position he was then committed to going forward to avoid being caught extremely wide on the track.

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