Trainer Peter Moody is used to seeing Black Caviar win but says the hairs on the back of his neck stood up as she streaked towards the winning post for her 21st consecutive victory.
Her jockey Luke Nolen said the horse’s trainer needn’t have worried.
“She never got out of second gear,” he said as he dismounted from Australia’s most famous horse as 30,000 frocked-up people congratulated each other on seeing her make history at Morphetville in Adelaide for the second time in a fortnight.
Their roar was deafening as she came out of the starting gate.
And it just got louder as it soon became clear the black ball of muscle was going to remain unbeaten.
Nobody there grudged her the win – not Helen Jolly who had two sons riding in the same race – Richard, who came third on Sterling Grove and David who came in fifth on Streetcar Magic.
She’d bought a boxed trifecta in the “very faint” hope that they’d both come in with the famous black mare.
“It was wonderful, I was so delighted to be part of it,” she said.
“It is a once in a lifetime experience for us all.”
Seeing Black Caviar win is hardly a once in a lifetime gig for Moody.
He says he doesn’t really get nervous but can’t relax until he sees her coming back safe.
“I’m just happy and grateful about now,” he said after the race.
“The hairs on the back of my neck stand up like anyone else.”
He warned the British that if she did well in the next three weeks she would be on the plane to England for Royal Ascot in June.
“You’ve got an excitement machine coming your way,” Moody said.
He reckons she can do it again.
“It’s a long way to go to get beaten,” he says.
With a plane to catch, Moody was off before he got to see the mayor of the City of Marion carrying large gold key to the city for Black Caviar.
In the capacity crowd, who came from all around the state and the country, there was a sea of pink and black and a lot of happy faces.
Few were happier than Brenton Wilkinson, chief executive of the South Australian Jockey Club, who was beaming about the crowd’s reaction to having her race again in Adelaide.
