Former jockey Glen Darrington, who became a plumber before enlisting as a barrier attendant, will be used as insurance for Black Caviar when she travels to Adelaide for the Sportingbet Classic on Saturday.
Darrington, 41, will be the man behind the scenes, or behind the barriers to be precise, to ensure the unbeaten champion’s routine isn’t disturbed at Morphettville before her record attempt at 20 wins in a row.
He will also accompany the champion sprinter back to Adelaide for The Goodwood on May 12 and is on standby to be with her in England when she races at Royal Ascot.
Darrington said he jumped at the chance to be Black Caviar’s minder after Peter Moody and jockey Luke Nolen wanted to avoid the issues she had on her other interstate campaign to Sydney and Brisbane a year ago.
She bungled the start but still won the TJ Smith at Randwick and then “half reared in the gates” when she won the BTC Cup at Doomben.
“Luke didn’t want any more of that and wanted me to be with her the whole time,” Darrington said.
Darrington knows Black Caviar’s nuances after forming an affiliation with her when she was a young unraced horse.
“I have been with her since day dot,” said Darrington as he recalled the first time he saw her for barrier practice.
“I am pretty good mates with Luke and he just said ‘Get hold of this one, she might be a bit fractious and look after her. She goes all right’.”
Darrington said Black Caviar took a little while to become accustomed to the barriers and he was always on the lookout for her.
“In the gates early doors she was a little bit fractious to an extent where she could have potentially done something bad,” Darrington said.
He said that instead of manhandling her into the barriers he and other attendants coaxed her to help her settle, but she was always keen to get out, and get out fast.
Such was her eagerness she injured herself at her fourth race start in the Danehill Stakes at Flemington but still won.
“She was trying to anticipate the start and knuckled, pulling all her chest muscles and had to be turned out for three months,” Darrington said.
Since then Darrington has been in charge of putting a barrier blanket on Black Caviar on race day to help control her aggressive starts.
“I think it is more a comfort thing for her and it has slowed her down jumping away instead of trying to jump too quickly and make a mistake,” Darrington said.
On Saturday it will be business as usual with Darrington granted permission to assist the barrier attendants at Morphettville and attend to Black Caviar.
“She knows who I am and I will wait for her behind the gates with a lead and have the barrier blanket with me,” Darrington said
He said Black Caviar’s demeanour and confidence had grown, particularly in her last two campaigns.
“She walks around with her head high, has a bit of a look around and when we have got to go in the barrier she knows what we do,” Darrington said.
“In the gates I take the barrier blanket clip off, Luke gets the strap and she stands there with her head in the `V’ of the gates.
“It is awesome to watch.
“She knows she’s good and stands up there saying she’s ready to go. Nothing fazes her.
“She’s pretty special and it’s been a great journey.”
