THE BLACK CAVIAR TEAM DOES RACING PROUD

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, April 12, 2011

All of the racing superlatives have been used and still Black Caviar pushes forward to new heights.

On race-day she takes everything in her stride … and it is an enormous stride filled with that rare combination of measured power, with mighty muscles at work, and the adrenalin pumping beauty of a thoroughbred whose fluent action and speed easily dismisses the challenges of top gallopers with a mere, subtle shift of the gear stick.

Such is the nature of a champion racehorse.

From the perfect ten … to eleven straight wins and now with an unbeaten record that stretches to twelve race after her victory in the TJ Smith at Randwick on Saturday, the Black Caviar bandwagon has carried all before it.

As important to the rise and rise of Black Caviar’s stature has been the way in which the Black Caviar team has conducted themselves on their ride to fame.

Nowhere at all can any measure of self-importance be found.

Trainer Peter Moody, who currently is clearly as far ahead of most in his profession as Black Caviar is in front of her rivals, is humbled by the experience.

Moody has never got ahead of the situation. He has always looked after his star with absolute professionalism.

While he willingly makes himself available to the press far and above the call of duty to help promote Black Caviar as a much needed ambassador for racing and its cause, Moody has never allowed all of the hype to distract him from reality of the hard work and focus that is needed to manage of stable of top performers.

Moody never promotes his own role in Black Caviar’s success. Given the superb placement of the horse, the timing between her runs, the condition in which she is constantly turned out and her willingness to run to up to her talent when asked … Moody clearly plays an outstanding role in proceedings. That is a given.

The team of owners of Black Caviar also have behaved in exemplary fashion as they have embraced the public embrace of their champion.

Unlike the connections of a previous star who wanted to patent the rights of the image of their horse, the owners of Black Caviar are happy to step back into the shadows and let their star take the spotlight in centre stage.

They realize the value of ‘sharing’ Black Caviar with the public and allowing that relationship to gather momentum as it builds a positive force for racing.

Their attitude is very similar to that which Joe Janiak adopted with Takeover Target and we all know how well-loved that combination is. More power to them.

Like Moody, jockey Luke Nolen underplays his influence in the Black Caviar story. Not only does he do that, but, again like Moody, he also regularly deflects praise from himself and gives credit to the backroom boys and girls who do so much and who are so important to the Moody stable.

From work-riders to the strapper … to the expanded team of people who have contact with Black Caviar, Nolen is keen to make certain they are all acknowledged.

Nolen’s own contribution though is obviously no small part of Black Caviar’s success.

Just imagine the pressure of holding the reins on a country’s expectations!

When to niggle at Black Caviar when she appears to be marking time (as Nolen did approaching the turn at Mooney Valley in the William Reid in her penultimate start), or, how vigorously to ride Black Caviar when asking her to chase (as Nolen had to do when setting her after the runaway leader Hay List in the TJ Smith at Randwick on Saturday) … these are just two in a number of decision-making situations for a jockey that evolve during a race.

It is not as easy a job as it can sometimes look when riding a champion.

Thus it is that the whole Black Caviar team has shown admirable dignity and a level of class to match the performance of their star on the track.

They are serving racing well!

All things being equal the ‘Black Caviar Show’ will now head to Brisbane.

The move will serve two purposes. It will showcase a talent ‘live’ to a new but equally adoring audience and it will serve as part of the travel education for Black Caviar ahead of a possible international assignment in Hong Kong in Decemeber.

Black Caviar will be aimed at two races in Brisbane … the BTC Cup and the Doomben 10 000.

Both races take place at Doomben which, depending on how the marquee areas are set up, has a capacity of between 15 000 and 20 000 spectators.

Racing enthusiasts can’t wait for May 14.

Expect the ‘Sold Out’ signs to go up.

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