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Black Caviar, Sydney Cup Day: Live race updates, blog

Roar Rookie
28th April, 2012
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Black Caviar wins 2011 T J Smith - Slattery Media Group
Roar Rookie
28th April, 2012
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Black Caviar’s quest for her 20th consecutive win headlines a star-studded afternoon of racing that also features Atlantic Jewel, Americain, More Joyous Pierro. Join us for live updates from 2.45pm AEST.

Robert Sangster Stakes: Race 7, Morphettville (1200m) – 4.23pm AEST

Australia’s love affair with the fairytale horse of our generation continues this afternoon, with Peter Moody’s peerless mare B;ack Caviar turning out for a two-race preparation in Adelaide before her much-anticipated Northern Hemisphere at Royal Ascot in June.

Unsurprisingly, she has been sent out at $1.04 or 25-to-1 on in the old scale and for good reason too.

There is no Hay List amongst this field and there is not even the slimmest chance that she will lose this afternoon.

It will be 20 on the bounce this afternoon for Black Caviar, with Sistine Angel, Lone Rock and Power Princess chances to come within five lengths of the champion.

All Aged Stakes: Race 5, Randwick (1400m) – 2.55pm AEST

The second of four group 1 races gets underway just before three o’clock this afternoon with the ‘other’ Australian champion well-placed to continue her own unbeaten streak.

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Mark Kavanagh’s Atlantic Jewel has been nothing but impressive throughout her six-race career and the Black Caviar-esque price of $1.20 suggests nothing will change this afternoon.

Still, small fields can sometimes be tactical minefields for short-priced favourites and with only six horses lining up in this race, Michael Rodd will need to be alert.

With the scratching of King Mufhasa this morning, only Albert The Fat and Rain Affair look realistic chances.

Sydney Cup: Race 6, Randwick (3200m ) – 3.35pm AEST

The feature race of the afternoon. Niwot has been solidly supported in pre-post betting and with an ideal preparation looks a worthy favourite for the two-mile race.

The Team Hawkes-trained galloper was the first local horse home in last year’s Melbourne Cup and should settle midfield with Permit and Drunken Sailor. There should be a handy speed through the likes of Once Were Wild and Precedence from out wide and Solid Billing should go forward as well.

But with a good run in transit it should be Niwot and Permit fighting this one out at the finish. Each-way claims arise through Drunken Sailor, Efficent and Precedence.

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Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) – 4.15pm AEST

Probably the most fascinating race of the afternoon. After being set for – and triumphantly claiming – the Doncaster Handicap last Saturday, the Gai Waterhouse-trained More Joyous will be out for back-to-back wins.

The mare will face stiff competition from the one-two finishers of the BMW earlier in the month.

Manighar has been one of the horses of the autumn carnival, while 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain has looked threatening this prep and would have won the BMW had Gerard Mosse not absolutely butchered the ride.

The key here will be the mile-and-a-quarter distance. Will it be too far for More Joyous, who has been set for races over the mile? Can Americain find enough room to get out into the clear at the top of the straight?

But the eight-horse field is full of chances such as Rekindled Interest, Secret Admirer and crack Kiwi gallopers Jimmy Choux and Rangirangdoo. The winner could come from just about anywhere.

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