Black Caviar - Slattery Media Group
That word great gets thrown around far too often these days.
As a society in general, we are quick to anoint something as “great”, be it a film, band, team or player.
This desire to feel like we are witnesses to events that are better than all that have preceded it sometimes leads to over-hyping. We claim greatness, yet very good would often suffice.
With the all-conquering Black Caviar however, this is not the case.
This Saturday – in the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick racecourse in Sydney– Black Caviar will be aiming for her twelfth straight victory, in the process maintaining her perfect record. This amazing run of form has led to the mare being declared the top Thoroughbred Racehorse in the world, and the top rated sprinter for the first quarter of 2011.
Over that time, she has already amassed in excess of $2.6 million in prize-money alone. Not a bad return for a horse, that was purchased for just $200,000, from an breeder who thought her front legs weren’t quite right.
It’s lucky he’s happy for the current owners. There doesn’t appear to be a horse anywhere on the planet with the ability to match it with the champion.
Her incredibly success has captured the hearts of racing fans and the general public alike. Over ten thousand punters witnessed her most recent triumph in the William Reed Stakes, at the Moonee Valley Racecourse.
This was by far the biggest crowd of the season so far at the Valley; with officials expecting another bumper crowd at Randwick, with more than 30,000 expected this weekend. Furthermore, Ticketek have reported that gate sales, have doubled from the same stage last year.
The legion of fans that now flock to her races, have been a blessing for the Racing Industry, planting racing firmly on back and even front pages all across the country.
Her fans can be seen proudly waving flags and cheering her on, as a beautiful black blur with the pink with black dots colour tears down the front straight.
If she is too record yet another victory this weekend, she will have to contend with not only the other horses, but also a potentially wet track at Randwick. The four year-old hasn’t yet won a race on a track deemed either slow or heavy, and perhaps weather, is the only thing that can stop her dominance.
Her greatest threats on Saturday would appear to come from Crystal Lily, Hay List and Hinchinbrook, three strong horses that have been able to shake off many rivals.
Crystal Lily would undoubtedly be a multiple Group-One winner, except she finds herself constantly coming up against Black Caviar. Hay List’s owners rue the same turn of fortune.
This weekend should be no different, as barring an incredible event of bad luck; the champion mare will again gallop to victory this weekend.
Doing so will only strengthen her position as one of the true greats.
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