Black Caviar continued preparations for her much-awaited Sydney debut with a pleasing hitout at Caulfield on Tuesday morning.
“She galloped the Sydney way over half a mile (800m) and worked super,” trainer Peter Moody said.
“There’s not much more to say.”
Moody was philosophical about the prospect of Black Caviar having to run on a rain-affected track with Randwick rated a slow (6) on Tuesday.
“We’ve got find out one day if she handles it,” he said.
Four of Black Caviar’s wins have been on dead (4) surfaces and she has not raced on anything worse.
The unbeaten mare is aiming for her 12th straight win and runs in the Group One TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) on the same card as the 150th AJC Australian Derby.
Moody has kept the world’s highest-rated racehorse at home in Melbourne in the lead-up to the interstate mission and she is not expected in Sydney until late in the week.
There were 13 horses nominated to take on Black Caviar when entries for the weight-for-age TJ Smith closed on Monday.
Among them is last year’s Derby winner Shoot Out who will be ridden by Corey Brown who claimed a Group One double on Saturday at Rosehill.
And while it seems like mission impossible to beat Black Caviar in the TJ Smith, Brown says it’s great to have the mare coming to Sydney.
“She is great for racing all over Australia,” Brown said.
“I seen they were putting buses on from all the provincial racetracks and getting the crowds here.
“Even though you’re not riding her, or you don’t own her, or you don’t train her, it’s just everyone loves to see her winning because she is just perfect for racing.
“It gets people back to the racetrack. You obviously get sick of running second to her but she’s just the perfect racehorse.”
AAP TURF
