Queenslanders feasted on an entree of Black Caviar and will be back for the main course in the Doomben 10,000 in a fortnight following the world champion mare’s victory in the Group One BTC Cup on Saturday.
With 20,134 racing fans trackside at Doomben, Black Caviar retained her unbeaten record in 13 starts.
In a repeat of her Group One TJ Smith victory at Randwick last month, Black Caviar ($1.14) box seated in behind early leaders Hay List and Buffering until jockey Luke Nolen stoked her up approaching the home turn.
The massive crowd roared as one as Nolen let the wonder mare cruise up to the leaders before eventually going on for a two-length win over Hay List ($5.50).
It was the fourth time Black Caviar has proved superior to Hay List.
The two sprinting heavyweights of the Australian turf were so dominant, Buffering ($31) was left in their wake, a further 4-3/4 lengths away third.
Trainer Peter Moody said he was never worried once Nolen honed in on the leaders.
“Once she flattened out I knew she wouldn’t be beaten,” Moody said.
“It sends a tingle up your spine and she’s something to behold.
“She’s beaten probably the second best sprinter in the world.”
Black Caviar’s BTC Cup win was her sixth Group One triumph this season and another win in the Group One Doomben 10,000 on May 28 will place her second on the all-time list of Australian horses to score multiple wins at the elite level in a single season.
Tulloch set the bar as three-year-old in 1957-58 with 10 Group Ones while Kingston Town and Weekend Hussler with six each set the benchmark in the modern era.
A Doomben 10,000 win would also see Black Caviar equal the mighty Bernborough’s all-time best seven consecutive Group One wins during his famous 15-race winning streak in 1946.
Dubbed the Usain Bolt of horse racing, Black Caviar lived up to the pre-race hype delivering in spades in the 1200-metre feature.
Hay List was again gallant in defeat but trainer John McNair is prepared to take on Black Caviar one more time in the Group One Doomben 10,000 (1350m) in a fortnight.
“She was just too good for us,” McNair said.
“I’m dying to get her out further in distance but if he had drawn inside of her today then we wouldn’t have had to work so hard for the lead.”
Moody won’t make a decision on a Doomben 10,000 start for Black Caviar until he see how the four-year-old pulls up.
“I’d love to be back here in two weeks,” he said.
“It’s tremendous for an old Queensland boy to come back here in front of this crowd but if there’s an element of doubt with her she won’t run in the 10,000.”
In a scary thought, Nolen felt Black Caviar needed the BTC Cup hit out.
“She needed that gallop and she’ll tighten up and improve again for the 10,000,” he said.
AAP TURF gmd/wb
