Peter Moody is taking the forecast for a wet week in his stride as Black Caviar aims to stretch her record unbeaten streak in the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley.
Moody earlier this month warned Black Caviar would not run on badly rain-affected ground in the Newmarket Handicap carrying 58kg but under weight-for-age conditions on Friday night there is not as much concern.
“The threat not to run in the Newmarket was weight related,” said Moody’s racing manager Jeff O’Connor.
“The forecast is a slight concern but it’s a weight-for-age race on Friday night and not a handicap.”
Black Caviar, who will carry 56.5kg, has won four times on dead ground but is untried in slow or heavy going.
Showers are forecast from Tuesday.
Buses from all parts of Victoria have been organised to ferry hundreds of race fans to Moonee Valley to see Black Caviar try for her 11th win in a row.
While the final field isn’t declared until Wednesday, it is widely tipped that $1.10 could be the best odds offered for Black Caviar for her last Melbourne run for the season.
O’Connor said the four-year-old sprint queen worked in a clockwise direction last Saturday and galloped impressively in preparation for Sydney’s Group One T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 9.
Plans are afoot to try to lure Black Caviar and Sydney’s champion mare More Joyous to contest a match race with the All-Aged Stakes (1400m) as the prize at Randwick on April 23.
O’Connor said, with or without More Joyous, the Randwick feature remained an option for Black Caviar.
“We’re not going to rule out the All-Aged Stakes just yet,” O’Connor said.
The All-Aged is three weeks before Black Caviar’s first scheduled Group One Brisbane target, the BTC Cup (1200m) on May 14.
She is also heading for the Doomben 10,000 (1350m) on May 29.
O’Connor said Black Caviar’s routine would be unchanged this week with a fast gallop planned for Caulfield on Tuesday.
The William Reid has attracted 15 entries but fewer than half could be acceptors.
Moody plans to run three-year-old Hinchinbrook against his celebrated stablemate but is sending interstate his other nominations Avenue, Panipique and Master Harry.
Avenue and Panipique will run in the Group One Sportingbet Classic (1200m) at Morphettville while Master Harry will contest Sunday’s Group Two Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Warwick Farm.
Moody is also be looking to improve his Group One record with Caulfield Guineas winner Anacheeva in Saturday’s Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and unbeaten filly Lights Of Heaven in Adelaide’s Australasian Oaks (2000m).
AAP TURF
