Black Caviar’s owners made a decision last week that ensures the mare will retire undefeated.
Black Caviar will bypass the Newmarket Handicap (1200m, Group One) on March 9 where she would have carried 61.5kgs down the Flemington straight. Instead Peter Moody will prepare the six-year-old for the weight-for-age William Reid Stakes (1200m, Group One) on March 22.
It is likely to be her last race in Melbourne.
If Black Caviar is retired before this year’s spring carnival – and that has always been the plan – winning the Newmarket with 61.5kgs was the second-last chance for the mare to achieve another extraordinary feat.
Now that the Newmarket has been ruled out, the last box left for Black Caviar to tick off is a perfect record at the end of her career.
And considering there are no serious challengers willing to take on the mare – not even her arch rival Hay List – we can assume Black Caviar will have an unimpeded path, running in set weights and weight-for-age races, to completing her undefeated career.
In many ways, bypassing the Newmarket was an easy decision to make. Black Caviar’s big and injury-prone frame will benefit from the five-week break between last weekend’s Lightning Stakes victory and the William Reid.
And more importantly Black Caviar’s hallmark – her unblemished record – will almost inevitably be intact after her Moonee Valley outing.
In any case, winning at weight-for-age is the measure of a great horse. Feature handicaps are usually the domain of those horses not up to the absolute top level.
That is of course unless we are talking about a champion.
Victories with big weights in the feature handicaps (for example, races like the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Sydney Cup, Doncaster Mile, Newmarket Handicap and Oakleigh Plate) separate legends like Phar Lap and Tulloch from great horses like So You Think and Lonhro.
Phar Lap raced in four feature handicaps in which he carried weights of 47kgs (third, 1929 Melbourne Cup at three years of age), 59.5kgs (first, 1929 King’s Cup at three), 62.5kgs (first, 1930 Melbourne Cup at four) and 68kgs (eighth, 1931 Melbourne Cup at five).
Tulloch raced in many feature handicaps. He won his last race, the 1961 Brisbane Cup with 62.5kgs. In the 1960 Melbourne Cup he carried 64kgs into seventh place before running second in the same season’s Sydney Cup with 63kgs.
Black Caviar has raced in one feature handicap, the 2011 Newmarket Handicap when she carried 58kgs to an easy victory. It was biggest weight ever carried to victory by a mare in the race and the highest winning weight in the Newmarket since Shaftesbury Avenue in 1991.
You could argue that if Black Caviar was to win the 2013 edition with 61.5kgs, and then retire, she would be held in equal or higher regard than any horse that has ever raced in this country. And that’s without ever being extended past a distance of 1400m.
Black Caviar may have more ability than any Australian thoroughbred to have ever raced. She may be better than Phar Lap.
But no-one can categorically declare it. She hasn’t done enough. In fact, she hasn’t even been given a chance.
But Phar Lap was. And he rose to the challenge. Five times he was asked to win three races in the space of a week. He delivered on all but one of those occasions.
Most famously, he won on all four days of the 1930 Melbourne Cup Carnival. On Derby Day, hours after bullets were fired at him by a would-be assassin, he won the Melbourne (now known as the Mackinnon) Stakes over 2000m.
On the Tuesday he waltzed to victory in the Melbourne Cup (two miles) with 62.5kgs on his back. Two days later, on Oaks Day, he won the Linlithgow (now known as the Patinack Farm Classic) over a mile before taking out the now-defunct CB Fisher Plate over 2400m on the final Saturday.
Phar Lap, like every Australian champion other than Black Caviar, sometimes lost. After ten outings, he had only amassed one victory and one second. ‘The Red Terror’ never completed a season without defeat. He lost more Melbourne Cups than he won.
But nobody talks about that.
They talk about the hope he gave Australians during the depression. They talk about his 1930 Melbourne Cup – and Cup week – and they talk about his victory in Mexico and the size of his heart.
Phar Lap was far from perfect. But he is remembered as the greatest. When he was thrown a challenge, he rose. When he was asked to back-up, he won, regardless of the distance. And when he was made to carry huge top weights, he did it with class.
Black Caviar will enter the record books as a legend of Australian racing when she retires. For many years, people will talk about her soft victories and effortless stride, her rivalry with Hay List and heart-stopping victory at Royal Ascot.
But history won’t remember her as a modern-day Phar Lap, let alone the best.
History will remember Black Caviar as the sprinter that never lost and, in doing so, captured the public’s imagination.
It’s an accurate description, but somehow I feel Black Caviar could’ve been so much more.
Jeff
Guest
Sorry, just one more thing. It's sad that running in A Group 1 WFA race is seen as a soft choice. That denegrates some great races with great traditions. Surely some of the criticism should be directed to other trainers who dodge those races, not Peter Moody, who is, after all, entering his horse in some of the most respected races on our calendar?
Jeff
Guest
Not meant to be Ausi, just a bit of humour to draw on the point of champions supposedly having to be versatile. A bit too flippant I guess. On a serious note though, shouldn't the real discussion be whether BC is up there with Vain, Todman and Manikato? apples with apples. It's like the recent choice of Dawn Fraser over Betty Cuthbert as our greatest female athlete - impossible to make that distinction really and why do we feel we need to? Also, on the question of weight in Hcps, getting BC to carry the 61.5 in the Newmarket would equate to 63.5 for a male horse - wich other horse would you expect to do that these days? she's already carried the highest weight ever for a mare & won with a leg in the air (58 mare = 60 for a male horse, more than the modern day record for either sex) surely that argument has been covered?
ausi
Guest
Childish Jeff - cant you do better than that?
Jeff
Guest
I see that Usain Bolt just won World Sportsman of the Year again - maybe he should not have won because he didnt win the 100m and the marathon, or give the others a head
observer
Guest
Might n POWER BEST 2000 METER TO 3200 METER HORSE.....Injury stoped this one. No other horse in the history of melb-caulfield cup has led all the way and won both events let alone do it in the same year, THEN to come back the following year to stamp his greatness down on all comers by winning the cox plate in record time which is today still the fastest cox plate time .He couldnt win in group1 level at 1800 ( 1 try for a 2nd place ) allthou he won at group 2 over this distance. Same with a mile he tried at group 1 level 2 times for a 7th and a 8th but again at group 2 level , no probs!! ...group 1 1400meter c f orr stakes...3rd for might n power his only try at group 1 at this distance..... He also won at 1400 meters and at 1200 meters but in listed company..at his peak no horse in the past 20 years would of been able to run down this one over 2040 to 2500 and from futher back maybe only dulcify,,,MAYBE ... i dont even think the great pharlap would of stood a chance. Black caviar's is the greatest sprinter we have ever seen or i have scene. Her 1400 meter c f orr win was probably one of her easiest wins which you would think would be a great indication (if you watched the race ) that she should be able to handle 1500 or posibbly 1600 in group 1 company . You would think that c f orr stakes win would of entised the connections to have a crack...I am no expert but visually you could see how much she had left in the tank....She settles great has a wicked turn of foot and has such a smooth transaction, her feet at times are mirrored it seems, she has the perfect stride action. One comes to mine..Have a look at sunline and her stride action ,, its a big comparison but the stride action is nearly indentical . they are also very closely related. Stamina? Thats the question that will probably never be answered. I personally think she would smash em all over a mile that we have at the moment , half brother would get a beating of a life time by bigger better sis...thats what i think...then that could lead to another what if!! imagine she ran in a group1 over a mile winning like she did over 1400...!! would they have a crack at a cox plate?!!! WHAT IF.....that would be a dream to watch if all that had taken place but unfortunaely it will never happen...greedy cats.... Thats the sort of thing that needed to happen after the cf orr stakes win to be classified as the greatest horse australia has had,,not this bullshit ascot ride running agasint europian sprinters which have been proven to be of a lower class then australian and asian sprinters. A lot of people say she has proven herself allready.. then why not step it up if they are going to continue on with her....GREED ..Thats all it is. Her loosing at a mile in group 1 class would not take away her champion status no not all...Might n powers not bieng able to win in group 1 level under 2000 meters does not take away his.....But he had a crack....and was very competitve ..he;s is the best i have scene..Black Caviar could of been and should of been......get my point? hope so..
Sunline
Guest
Justin. Great Summation . Finally i have read a non - bias article on Black Caviar. Well Done. To nan. I say this. No-one is trash talking the Cav. If you actually read the posts on this forum you would realise that everyone here seems to have a decent knowledge of racing history, and are pointing out there thoughts. It is alright for you to label her the greatest racehorse that this country has seen, but not all agree with you and that will always remain for years to come. Past champions have never been picked apart like the Cav has in converstaions, and that in itself says something. An unblemished record yes; but a champions record against champion fields, carrying champion weights - NO. You would have to be a fool to see otherwise; but everyone is entitled to their opinion. An amazing horse - no one denies that. Bondy nice posts. Some interesting points. I am suprised to see that no-one has brought up Manikato in talk of past greats. 29 wins of which 22 would be group 1's in todays gradings. 1 Blue Diamond, 1 Golden Slipper, 1 George Ryder, 4 Futurity Stakes, 3 Orr Stakes, 5 William Reids, 1 Doomben 10,000 and a Queen Elizabeth Cup. An amazing horse. People have forgotten her, and the same thing will happen with Black Caviar, once the T.v & media stop there barrage when she retires. Cheers.
Ron
Guest
Check out Malua's record for versatility. My favourite horse from the history pages!
ausi
Guest
Correction The Champagne Stakes was 1200 metres when Vain won. I thoroughly agree with your statement about their relative abilities - Vain would have run BC off her feet. His Slipper win was awesome - I had a runner in it and - WOW - He looked like a 4 year old stallion. His Craven A stakes win at Flemington was blistering - a short but incredible career. You are all arguing about the GREATEST - BERNBOROUGH easily - get a copy of "Thats racing" and also look up the wiights he won with.
Fred Zang
Guest
You guys seem to be missing the point. Racing is an industry. Black Caviar is an investment. She races to earn money for her owners and her trainer, NOT to set records or be the best ever, so it is only natural they will select races that they feel she can win. For the record I think BC would beat any horse in the world up to 6 furlongs (including frankel)
Scuba
Guest
I'm guessing Redb means "exploiting" in the sense that she could make just as much money for the owners in the breeding barn (prizemoney in our sprint races is pretty weak) but that wouldn't give them an opportunity to flog ugly ties and Gerard Whateley's book every time she runs.
Scuba
Guest
Kincsem was the most dominant horse of all time - Black Caviar only needs to win another 31 races on the trot to match her record.
Scuba
Guest
I think she should be sent over the jumps to prove her versatility. Just kidding, but when you look at the records of some of the champions of yester-yesteryear, you realise just how versatile they were. I have no doubt we will never see another horse win the Oakleigh Plate-Newmarket Handicap-Melbourne Cup-Grand National Hurdle combination!
johnny nevin is a legend
Guest
Horses travel the whole time for international meetings, the Melbourne Spring Carnival, Hong Kong, the Dubai World Cup, the Breeders Cup , the Arc and more. Its an acceptable level of risk because its part of the business to competete for the worlds best races. I will concede that the risk/reward ratio for BC to travel to Royal Ascot is not as great as say Dunaden to travel to the Melbourne Cup as there is a vast difference in prize money, however Royal Ascot has a lot of prestige.
Jeff
Guest
BCs proneness to injury has probably restricted her program. Remember her Newmarket win was the highest weight carried by a mare. 58 is equivalent to 60 for a male horse. While Hcps carry a romantic notion of a test, in reality WFA races are much tougher to win so don't think running at WFA is a soft choice - its anything but. If you want to level the hcp argument you need to do it for all horses everywhere, at all times, not just BC. As for the having to win at all distances to be a great - would you not call Bradman our greatest because he wasn't an all rounder? Is Phar Lap bit a champion because he didn't win the Newmarket? I doubt it. Pure physiology counters that argument. Greatness is perfectly at home in a genre and so is BC
Jeff
Guest
BCs proneness to injury has probably restricted her. People have to consider that if she ran
nan
Guest
I cant believe all this trash talk of the greatest horse this country has seen. It will all be over in the spring and you guys are trashing her like we aussies do- we build em up and when its time to retire or their form slips we throw shit at em. All of you except Big timr need to rewatch all her wins and then tell me with your hands on your F*ing hearts she has not been the most dominate horse of all time- Beat off other so called champions not once but many times(Hay list) Re look at the TJ Chased him down and then walloped him- She was never extended in Australia never needed to be and if she was shed have smashed records- Can you remember a horse dropping back from 1400 to a 1000 in a week and winning both races easily Come one Guys really get your head out of your backsides and start watching every race- The 1400 metre race she beat a cracking field and again proved to me she could have won at any distance she relaxes in her races like no other.the trainer has not protected her when she has been right he has tested her- 1400 race the newmarket with 58kgs her first start in Sydney- I for one am priveleged to have witnessed the greatest i said after her 5th race she would never e beaten because i saw something i have never seen before-The way seh was relaxed in running and the ease in which she would put the race beyond doubt from the 400-200 whilst others where under whip she still had her head on her chest- Lastly you knockers are typical aussies a bunch of tear me downs
Big Time
Guest
Really?? You take a horse on a flight like that, it is a risk. They are not humans. As reported she lost a lot of weight on the journey, different tracks, different race styles, different surroundings and most of all different seasons. No risk???
Geoff Lemon
Expert
More likely that after you attempted the latter, you suffered the former.
Simba
Guest
Phar Lap travelled to Mexico to beat the best horses in the world in the richest race on the world. That helped.
Simba
Guest
Weights are relative. The Diva was top weight in 2005, well above her wfa weight. Extraordinary for a mare. She achieved a great deal more than Black Caviar has. BC has never won a 'grand slam' (if you will) and neither did Frankel. The Diva won about 6 of them. All Group 1s are not created equal. Prize money is a good yardstick in horseracing because money attracts talent. By this measure there is no comparison. Diva > BC. And Phar Lap would be ahead of them all using today's purses. He is the Mohammad Ali of Australian racing.