Black Caviar extended her unprecedented winning streak to 16, claiming her second successive $1 million Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) at Flemington today (Saturday).
As she did last year, the champion mare easily accounted for her rivals, winning the weight-for-age contest by two-and-three-quarter lengths, much to the delight of thousands of flag-waving fans trackside.
The major difference from 12 months ago was the jockey, with regular pilot Luke Nolen back in the saddle after missing last year’s race through suspension.
Nolen, who has had a well documented lean patch throughout the Melbourne Cup Carnival, said his overall emotion was one of satisfaction on ending a frustrating run.
“Just a little bit of satisfaction that I’ve finally ridden a winner at Flemington on Cup week. It’s been a long week,” the Scobie Breasley Medallist said.
“You don’t want to disappoint the people that come to see her and she’s got a faultless record that I want to keep intact,” he added. “She has done a good job today and she’s beaten some reasonable horses.
“I know I’m going to miss her like hell the day she retires,” Nolen added about the remarkable journey he has enjoyed with Australia’s pin-up horse.
Black Caviar coasted over the 1200-metre journey in 1min 8.32sec, half a second slower than last year’s winning time but she never appeared to be out of second gear.
Winning trainer Peter Moody was again in awe of his champion mare who completed the same hat-trick of wins as she did in last year’s Spring Racing Carnival after victories last month in the Schillaci and Schweppes Stakes, both at Group 2 level.
“It’s great that she has been able to put on a show for the big crowd that has come out to witness her today,” Moody said.
“She can only race what’s there and they were all good horses behind her but once again she has toyed with them.”
Providing she pulls up well the champion mare is now likely to travel to Perth for the Group 1 $500,000 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot on 19 November.
After that she returns in the New Year for a campaign aimed ultimately at the famous 2012 Royal Ascot Carnival in the UK next June.
A victory at Royal Ascot in either King’s Stand Stakes or Golden Jubilee Stakes would see the connections of Black Caviar claim a $600,000 bonus as part of the Global Sprint Challenge.
With her victory today, Black Caviar surpassed the 15-race winning streaks posted by inaugural Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductees Carbine and Bernborough.
Next in her sights is another Hall of Fame member, 1930’s weight-for-age champion Ajax, who won 18 consecutive races before his shock defeat at 1/40 in the 1939 Ranvet Stakes.
The Australian record for the most consecutive wins is 22 shared by Queensland bush stars Sava Jet and Miss Petty, whilst the metropolitan record stands at 19 with Desert Gold and Gloaming winning races in Australia and their homeland, New Zealand, during the streak.
