Part-owners Neil Werrett and Gary Wilkie turned diplomats at Royal Ascot on Tuesday as they attempted to satisfy the insatiable interest in their champion mare Black Caviar.
Following on from the “inferior opposition, inferior prizemoney” comments of trainer Peter Moody earlier in the week, Werrett and Wilkie presented a more gracious face to the local media.
Acknowledging the reluctance of Moody to come to England, the owners said they had made the decision more than a year ago to race at Royal Ascot, and they are glad they did.
“At the end of the day this is the home of racing – 300 years of racing,” Wilkie said.
“We just thought we had the horse, we had the opportunity and we just wanted to be part of it.
“To be honest, it wasn’t a difficult decision.”
The attitude contrasts with that of Moody who has been less-than wholehearted about the mission that comes to its climax on Saturday in the GB Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200B).
But the trainer may be coming around.
After Black Caviar worked on the Limekilns gallop at Newmarket on Tuesday morning the trainer gave his most positive report since the horse arrived in England two weeks ago.
“Happy days,” Moody said.
“She worked nicely, but the good things is she needed to, she’s done so well here,” Moody said.
With Luke Noble up Black Caviar followed a lead horse on a gallop on that is regarded as the finest piece of ground on the vast Newmarket heath.
“She ran nice time, but that wasn’t the important thing.
“She was happy.”
