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Randwick will be jam-packed with racegoers for the final race of the day when Black Caviar lines up to extend her unbeaten streak to 25 in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes. Join our coverage here on The Roar from 4.00pm AEST.
Ten other horses have been nominated to take on the great mare, who will be attempting her 15th Group 1 victory.
The win will give her the record of most Group 1 races won by an Australian horse which she currently shares with Kingston Town.
Results of Black Caviar races are generally over once trainer Peter Moody announces his intention to nominate the six-year-old in a race and today is no different.
Earlier in the week, a wet track threatened to have Black Caviar pulled from the race but a week of good weather in Sydney has ensured the mare will line up for her 25th start.
For the other ten horses nominated in today’s $1 million race it’s a matter of who can claim second in this 1200m classic.
Regular rival for the past three years, Hay List, has returned for another crack at the mare but is drastically out of form.
When fit and in form, the gelding is a lock to run second to Black Caviar but a disappointing track gallop earlier in the week cancelled out any historic form.
Hay List was beaten home in the track gallop by stable mate Australian Star and the assumed conclusion was injury.
Trainer John McNair was quick to rule Hay List out from lining up today but then backflipped a day later and confirmed his star gelding pulled up in good health.
According to the bookies, Bel Sprinter appears to best claims of running second after a last-to-first victory in The Galaxy last week.
Claiming the Group 1, the Bel Esprit gelding produced a freakish turn of foot when they came around the bend, despite missing the jump.
It was an unbelievable performance which was described as ‘Black Caviar-esque’ but on closer inspection, it was likely a one-off.
From five preparations, Bel Sprinter has won all five first up runs. But in his second up runs he has registered just one win and failed to place on two other occasions.
He runs great fresh but spends everything he has in that first up run which was shown last week.
A threat to Black Caviar winning this race does exist in the form of Rain Affair. Australia’s best wet track sprinter Rain Affair can win this race if rain arrives which would prompt the scratching of Black Caviar.
The Commands gelding is surprisingly unbeaten on anything worse than a Dead 4 track and a slow rating is expected.
Golden Rose winner Epaulette is resuming today after an excellent spring campaign where the three-year-old surprised everyone to win a Group 1.
By Commands, his breeding suggests he will run well on today’s wet track despite never running on anything worse than a dead track.
The 1200m distance is perfect for the Darley trained colt and in his two previous first up runs, he has run first and second.
Today’s weight-for-age conditions haven’t done him too many favours since he’ll be carrying the same weight at Black Caviar but at long odds is excellent value to run a place.
Clarry Conners trained Decision Time has been in excellent form since returning from a two year layoff due to injury.
The five-year-old has found the line in his two previous starts very well, the first of those in the Challenge Stakes under weight-for-age conditions.
He was runner up that day behind Snitzerland and then ran third behind Bel Sprinter and Snitzerland in the Galaxy last week.
He comes in much better at the weight today when his form is compared against Bel Sprinter.
The last of the chances today to run second is globetrotter Sea Siren. The Manikato Stakes winner from last season was very disappointing in the Galaxy when he ran eighth after struggling to make a run.
It’s still unclear whether the Fastnet Rock mare has returned to form after failing in Hong Kong during his December trip but at her best, she’d run second in this race.
Black Caviar has drawn barrier 1 which will be perfect for Luke Nolan to position her just off the leader. Hay List will jump to the front from his wide gate and Black Caviar will sit one back on the inside.
From there, Nolan just needs to find a touch of space when they circle the bend and he’ll draw the great mare clear to make it 25 from 25 and her 15th Group 1 victory.
Tips
Alfred Chan
1. Black Caviar
2. Rain Affair
3. Epaulette
4. Decision Time
Justin Cinque
1. Black Caviar
2. Decision Time
3. Epaulette
4. Bel Sprinter
Cameron Rose
1. Black Caviar
2. Bel Sprinter
3. Hay List
4. Sea Siren
[roargal]
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