MV OCT 23 - SCHWEPPES AN ENTREE FOR THE UNBEATEN BLACK CAVIAR

By Taron Clarke | Monday, October 25, 2010

Moonee Valley, October 23, 2010.
Track - Dead 4. Rail - True. Penetrometer 4.61.
Schweppes Stakes (Group 2) WFA - 1200m.
Time: 1-11.01. 600m Sectional: 35.26. (Carrying 56.5kg).
1 Black Caviar; 2 Hot Danish; 3 True Persuasion.
Margins: 5.5L x 0.8L.

Black Caviar set up what looks to be one of the races of the spring - the Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic on the final day of the Flemington Carnival - where she is likely to clash with fellow superstar sprinter Hay List.

Black Caviar announced herself as a real contender for Australasia’s premier sprinter when she demolished a quality field of gallopers in the Group 2 Schweppes Stakes over 1200 metres at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

With the absence of Hay List due to an elevated temperature, Black Caviar and stable jockey Luke Nolen were sent out a raging favourite on the back of superb first up victory at Caulfield two weeks earlier.

Nolen and Black Caviar were not brilliantly into stride at barrier rise, however the pair had enough toe to race through and hold a prominent position on settling down.

Moonee Valley specialist True Persuasion was sent straight to the front from his wide barrier by Craig Newitt and the pair settled down a length and a half in front of the odds-on favourite Black Caviar, who sat outside bonny Sydney mare Hot Danish.

The tempo was solid through the first 400 metres and the field of sprinters was strung out over ten lengths.

Around the first turn, the speed dropped out of the event and this allowed the favourite to move into a stalking position at the flank of the leader, True Persuasion. The field suddenly compacted up to cover only five lengths.

Hot Danish continued to track up along the fence and ran up behind the leader inside the 600 metre mark.

Gerald Ryan’s Group 1 winning mare Melito sat on the back of the favourite for jockey Corey Brown and was also poised in a striking position.

The sprinters commenced the swing for home and Black Caviar under a vice like grip from jockey Nolen moved up to poke her nose in front.

The pressure was reapplied and Black Caviar shifted through her array of gears and moved to a clear lead rounding the hometurn.

Nolen allowed the Bel Esprit mare some more leather and she quickly bounded away to an unassailable lead in the early part of the straight.

Group 1 winning mares Hot Danish and Melito could do no more as the sprinting queen careered away to score a most impressive victory.

Nolen was kind to the brown mare over the concluding stages as the pair cantered in to win by five and a half lengths from Sydney’s premier sprinting mare Hot Danish in second with three quarters of a length back to True Persuasion in third placing.

A tantalising clash of the sprinting titans awaits punters in next Saturdays Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic down the straight six at Flemington.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Peter Moody: “I'm the only man here that wasn't disappointed Hay List wasn't here.

“You run out of things to say, don't you? She just seems to do it so effortless.

“I said to Luke, ‘just sit on her for as long as you can, you've got the best turn off foot. Ride her as the best horse, whatever happens or unfolds in or around the race.’

“The scary thing is she's never been pressured. Does she find under pressure? Hopefully we never have to find out. It's just scintillating what she does.

“Luke said … he's got this theory, the faster she goes the better she feels. I said to him when I legged him up, ‘I just keep getting scared something's going to fly off.’

“She doesn't know her own strength or her own brilliance and that's brought about her downfall a few times.

“Touch wood, we're two runs into a prep. This is the longest prep we've had so far, it would be lovely to get to Flemington in a couple of weeks and make it a three-run prep.

“Hay List is an outstanding horse, but what do you do? We're undefeated and we've got to keep going forward. The more you win the closer you are to defeat.”

Jockey Luke Nolen: “It's a great thrill you know. She's kept in one piece so far this campaign and she's sort of been a patch-up job throughout her career because she's so big and powerful.

“It is a little bit scary, I don't think we've found the bottom of her yet.

“I'm pleased with the way she's leaving the gates. She's not flying the machine like she did in the Danehill and spending the next two strides on her nose. She's leaving the gates nice and clean.

“Just getting her to leave the barriers … it doesn't have to be quick, but just leave with them and then she musters.

“Yeah, the faster she goes the better she feels. Definitely. She feels real good when she gets into top gear.

‘We’ll see Hay List next start.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Black Caviar): 1.50 into 1.40.
The winner was the favourite.

Horse to follow: Black Caviar was ultra-impressive and demolished a field of top quality sprinters. Under double wraps Nolen gave the mare her head and she spaced her rivals in a matter of strides. The upcoming race against Hay List will be something to remember for a long time.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Approaching the 800m Eagle Falls commenced to over-race and had to be restrained off the heels of Hot Danish.

Corey Brown (Melito) reported the lack of a genuine tempo did not suit her. He added that, while she was a touch disappointing, she always improves second up.

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