Black Caviar will take on a field of non Group One-winning rivals for only the second time in 16 starts in Saturday’s Goodwood at Morphettville.
The wonder mare has had at least one Group One winner opposed to her in all but one of her past 15 starts.
That was when she defeated Karuta Queen in the Group Two Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield in October last year.
But she has scared off a lot of potential rivals with eight geldings taking her on, from the three-year-old Go The Knuckle to nine-year-old Victorian veteran Stanzout.
Watched by trainer Peter Moody, Black Caviar galloped well over 800m on the course proper at Caulfield on Tuesday morning.
But the main interest in the great mare on Tuesday was the news that Australia Post has released a commemorative souvenir stamp pack of Black Caviar in celebration of the world’s highest-ranked sprinter winning an Australasian record 20 metropolitan races straight.
That was achieved in the Sportingbet Classic (1200m) at Morphettville on April 28.
The pack features snapshots of each of her 20 victories and details of the races.
Black Caviar is as usual stifling betting as a $1.04 favourite for the Goodwood with TAB Sportsbet as she attempts to take her winning streak to 21 before she heads to England for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot on June 23.
Apart from Black Caviar, the only last-start winner in the set weights and penalties race is Group Three D C McKay Stakes winner Outlandish Lad.
Damien Oliver takes the ride on the Dennis O’Leary-trained grey who has won three of his last four starts and is in the best form of his career.
But as his odds of $41 suggest, he looks a place chance at best.
The respected Mark Kavanagh stable has Catapulted ($41), winner of the Group Three Standish Handicap at Flemington on January 1 and We’re Gonna Rock ($26), winner of the Group Three N R Irwin Stakes two starts back. They, too, look to be running for the place money.
The Mark Minervini-trained Go The Knuckle, who won the Group Two Euclase Stakes for three-year-olds two starts back before running third in the McKay, has attracted some support, mainly for the place.
One punter has had $2000 the place at $5 on Go The Knuckle who is now at $1.80 to run in the money.
Another punter has had $200 each-way on Go The Knuckle at $51 for the win and $7.25 the place.
