Wonder mare Black Caviar’s chances of taking her unbeaten record to Perth are looking bright on the back of her recovery from Saturday’s Patinack Farm Classic victory.
“Last night (trainer) Peter (Moody) said the people at the stable told him she pulled up pretty good,” co-owner Neil Werrett told Sky Sports Radio.
Black Caviar holds a nomination for Saturday week’s Winterbottom Stakes, a $1 million sprint which now carries Group One status.
Like she has been for most of her career, Black Caviar is a prohibitive favourite in first markets to win the Winterbottom and make it 17 wins.
“Peter is going to make a decision on Tuesday morning (about going to Perth),” Werrett said.
“We would love to show her off to Perth and even in the autumn there is a possibility of going to Adelaide.”
If Moody gives Black Caviar the all-clear to continue her spring campaign, she will be on a flight to Perth on Tuesday night.
Werrett said Moody was close to planning a 2012 campaign for Black Caviar with Royal Ascot calling the world’s greatest sprinter.
“We would love to take her to (Royal) Ascot next year all going well and hopefully she can come through the autumn,” Werrett said.
“There was no point going over this year. If she was a colt it might have been a bit different.
“Peter’s going to sit down on Monday and start to think more seriously about the program for the autumn,” he said.
“He is very, very keen to put her over 1400 metres.
“His thinking is the 1400 metres of the Futurity (Stakes) and the Orr (Stakes) would be the equivalent to a 1200-metre race up the hill at Ascot.”
A massive crowd was on hand for the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival to watch Black Caviar claim the Patinack Farm Classic for the second time.
Jockey Luke Nolen never let Black Caviar off the bridle as she cruised home to win by 2-3/4 lengths over Buffering.
“The way she wins … I was just in awe of her,” Werrett said. “Everyone was.”
The strength of Black Caviar’s Perth opposition is uncertain but already at least one high-profile local sprinter is ducking for cover.
Barakey, touted as the next big thing in West Australia racing, is expected to give Black Caviar a wide berth.
The sprinter was eased down in making it six wins from as many starts at Ascot on Saturday.
Despite battling a headwind, Barakey was only 0.85s outside the Ascot 1200-metre record.
Barakey has been made a $5 second favourite for the Winterbottom with Black Caviar at $1.12.
That quote is certain to be cut drastically once she boards the Perth flight.
AAP TURF
