FROM MY PERSPECTIVE - BLACK CAVIAR IS AN OUT AND OUT CHAMPION SO LET'S JUST ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE
By Michael Cahill | Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Five-time Group 1 winning jockey Michael Cahill is the latest addition to the HRO blogging stable. Apart from Australia, Michael has ridden in the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, Malaysia, South Korea and Mauritius. He brings thirty-three years of race riding experience to the game and with this greater all-around experience Michael is superbly qualified to give insightful commentary on the racing scene. Michael’s personal blog, ‘From my perspective’ will appear every Wednesday on HRO.
I don’t really think it matters who you are in racing, Black Caviar gives everybody the same euphoric experience.
Even as a rider with many years’ experience, I hold her in as much awe as those people who come to the track for the first time to see her … and I think that is the right word to describe her. She is awesome … just the way that she can beat her rivals so easily and run the times she can.
To watch her, she looks like she not under full pressure. I know Luke Nolen rode her out hands and heels the last 200m the other day, but she seems to me to going very comfortably within herself.
Her stride is amazing. In the early part she is only going the same tempo as the rest but her stride naturally pulls her to the front.
She is a lovely actioned mare. Just a freak!
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I’ve seen a lot of champion sprinters come and go over the years, but I have probably got to put Black Caviar at the top of the list.
Her record speaks for itself … twenty-three out of twenty-three.
I’ve seen some champion sprinters like Placid Arc and Manikato. As a boy I was always idolised him.
Obviously there are so many others over the years … more recently Takeover Target of course, but this mare just seems to be in another league again.
You can’t fault her at all.
I have heard the argument that she gets a lot of favours by only taking on small fields these days.
Some old-timer brought up the ‘good old days’ when fields like the Lightning Stakes were twenty-strong and runners chased across the whole width of the straight and you had to beat other top class performers on the track to claim star status.
I personally can’t see any difference between beating them on the track or chasing them away beforehand to the point where they are scared to run against you.
It is because she is a great mare that others are backing off.
That fact cements her class far more than it questions it.
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I’m also not a great believer in comparing horses from different eras, which some people like to do.
It fact I don’t think you can compare them.
What would Black Caviar have done against the likes of Takeover Target or Manikato? Does it matter?
Like I said, she’s won twenty-three out of twenty-three. She could not have done any better. Peter Moody knows her and has handled her superbly. He is a great trainer as his record proves.
The bottom line is Black Caviar is an out and out champion mare and we should all just enjoy the experience.
I honestly think we are very fortunate to see a mare like her in our time.
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I am still happy with my own form this season.
I reached fifty metro winners for the season last Saturday and a reader has pointed out that if I were to continue at that rate I would end up with 92 winners for the season.
That would be alright, wouldn’t it … but we all know that depicts a trouble-free, continued success scenario which is a situation that cannot be relied upon.
In answer to another question, I wouldn’t say I am riding in career best form. Recent results might suggest that, but there have been times in my career when I’ve ridden as well, if not better.
I certainly do feel that I am riding well. I probably could say that I’m riding as well as I have over an extended period of time, but that is because I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve been given some very good opportunities that have played a big part in my success.
Also the experience of riding in foreign countries has helped me a lot. I’m probably more of the finished article now in terms of experience and favourable circumstances have allowed me to put that experience to good use.
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This Saturday will see an interesting rematch in the two-year-old ranks between, amongst others, Grey Countess and Tip Top Tiger.
Tip Top Tiger was impressive in his track-work before they met. I always felt he was going to run well, but as we all now know Grey Countess was far too good for anything else on the day.
I had to stick with Tip Top Tiger. I’ve got to give him another go. He impressed me too much as a new two-year-old to just jump off after one go, so it will be interesting to see how he fares on Saturday.
Till next week,
Michael
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