In a sport notorious for irrelevant comparisons between champions of different eras, an exception has emerged that helps answer the one slight knock on the unbeaten sprinter Black Caviar.
As undeniably magnificent as Black Caviar’s 17-win streak may be, the lack of opposition in many of her races has prompted questions about the merit of some of her victories.
It is an issue that has been put into perspective by Racing Victoria chief handicapper Greg Carpenter who rates Black Caviar the horse of the century.
In 13 of her wins, Black Caviar has beaten fields of less than 10 runners with five or fewer opponents lining up against her in five of them.
But Carpenter rejects any suggestion that the quantity and quality of the horses she has beaten detracts from her record.
Carpenter says the enduring legend of Phar Lap puts any such notion to rest.
“It was just the same for Phar Lap, and no-one regards him as anything but an outstanding champion,” Carpenter said.
In 31 of his 36 Australian wins, Phar Lap faced six or fewer opponents.
Fifteen of those wins came in fields of four or less and in five of the victories he had only two rivals.
As a result, Carpenter is adamant that Black Caviar is entitled to be considered on her Newmarket Handicap victory of last autumn, clearly her most outstanding success, and her record in general.
“The legend of Black Caviar cannot be diminished by the number or the quality of the opposition,” he said.
Carpenter is cautious about making any other comparison between Black Caviar and the champions of the past – with one exception.
“The one comparison that can be made is the impact she has had on the community,” he said.
“And the impact she has had seems to be similar to that of horses like Phar Lap.”
Black Caviar has what may well be her penultimate start in Australia in the CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday when her impact will be gauged by the Melbourne Racing Club’s offer of free entry to the course.
She will run again in the Futurity Stakes at the same course two weeks later and then be prepared for an international mission that seems likely to include a run in next month’s Group One Golden Shaheen (1200m) in Dubai as well as the Group One King’s Stand Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot in June.
While Carpenter is all for Black Caviar enhancing her record internationally, he believes she has nothing to prove by going to the world.
Black Caviar’s official ranking as the world’s champion sprinter in each of the past two years is enough, he said.
But she is also the highest-rated mare in the world in the modern era and the highest-ranked sprinter since international classifications came into being.
“The rest of the world already knows about her,” Carpenter said.
Black Caviar is scheduled to have eight opponents on Saturday when she ventures beyond 1200m for the first time.
Among them is the Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed who made an outstanding return to racing last month with a victory over Saturday’s course and distance.
AAP TURF
