An hour after Black Caviar made it 25 straight wins, she was still posing for photographs outside her stall at Randwick and her trainer was still pressing flesh with her fans.
In the gathering darkness, the crowd clamoured for the world champion mare and for her trainer.
It was difficult to work out who the 23,000 at Randwick regarded as the greater hero.
Black Caviar, the horse who can’t be beaten had won her 25th race, her 15th at the supreme Group One level, and had survived some blatant attempts to beat her into submission.
The massive sprinter who already ranked as one of Australia’s greatest sporting heroes left her rivals embarrassed in their defeat.
Corey Brown, who threw down the strongest pre-race challenge to the Melbourne mare, said he couldn’t believe how easily he and his horse Rain Affair had been beaten.
“I was surprised how quickly and how early she came at me,” Brown said.
Hugh Bowman, who rode the second favourite and third placegetter Bel Sprinter, said he felt deep disappointment for his horse.
“It can break their hearts when they’re trying their hardest and they get flogged like that,” Bowman said.
The win took her race earnings to a tick under $8 million.
But the money she earned in the TJ Smith Stakes meant nothing.
This one was about retribution.
The Sydney trainers and jockeys who had chided Black Caviar and her connections before the race were the first to acknowledge her supremacy.
And just in case, the mare’s jockey Luke Nolen reminded them.
“She came to Sydney and she kicked their arses,” Nolen said.
“If there are still any knockers out their after that, come and see me and I’ll sort you out.”
The future is uncertain for the horse officially ranked as one of the best few in the world.
But it seems certain she will race on – and even more certain that when she does, she’ll win again.
