HORSE OF THE MONTH - BLACK CAVIAR

Peter Moody had a number of questions answered at Caulfield last Saturday (2 May) when his star Bel Esprit filly, Black Caviar, romped home with the Blue Sapphire Stakes-LR.

But the leading trainer, media and racegoers were left with one perplexing – albeit exciting – question. Just how good is this horse?

We won’t find that out until at least the spring, but the mind truly boggles.

Purchased by Peter for $210,000 at last year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier, the filly appeared to be a smart buy – almost on residual alone.

Bel Esprit was highly placed on the Australian Second Season Sires’ chart and well on his way to capturing the Victorian Sires’ premiership.

Black Caviar’s dam – Helsinge – was unraced, but was also a half sister to Magnus who had run second in the Oakleigh Plate-G1 the week before and was about to wrap up his illustrious career which included victories in the AJC The Galaxy-G1 and VRC Age Classic-G2 (now G1).

Another of Helsinge’s half brothers – Wilander – had captured the Blue Diamond Prelude-G3 about three weeks earlier, adding quite substantially to his stud value (even more so when he won the Schillaci Stakes-G2 last October and the ATA Hoysted Stakes-LR in March).

So, Black Caviar definitely had a lot going for her – even before she made it to the track.

And, by the time she did make her first appearance, Black Caviar had slipped in under the radar, particularly given the stable had already notched up the Group One Blue Diamond with Reward For Effort in February.

Sure, Black Caviar had won a Cranbourne trial by five lengths at the end of March and the smarties had her tight in the market for her debut at Flemington on 18 April – but there’s a many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the lip and headquarters on Saturday is a fair hike from Cranbourne.

But she was simply devasting, burning the hallowed turf with a five panel victory over the 1000m journey. Adding merit to the victory, her time of 56.63 was a second faster than the older horses in the first event on the program and faster than the open sprint won by 4-time city winner Secret Flyer later in the day.

Not prone to excitement, the taciturn Moody didn’t have THAT much to say, but did alert those who cared to ask that he’d give the filly a try in the Blue Sapphire Stakes-LR at Caulfield, two weeks hence.

Black Caviar lined up at the gates a $1.50 favourite and, much to the chagrin of backers, proceeded to miss the start.

But just over a minute and nine seconds later, the groans had turned to cheers as Black Caviar powered away to score by six lengths without jockey Jarrad Noske spending a penny.

With the boss in Adelaide, stable foreman Jeff O’Connor was left to officiate and said it was “hard not to get excited about the filly”.

“Time will tell what she is beating now but the way she is doing it, the times and style of her, makes it pretty hard not to get excited,” Jeff pointed out.

“Peter wanted to win this race and it will confirm that we can pick our marks in the spring now. She will be able to get into any race we see fit, and that is a big plus.

“The big bonus today was seeing her run out the 1200m and relaxing a lot better than last start over 1000m at Flemington. She went too keen at Flemington but today she was a lot better and showed she can control a race like good fillies and mares can.

“She made a little error at the start but it is not too concerning. She did the same thing in a Cranbourne trial but it is something we can work on. She is a big strong filly and this is her first real serious preparation.

“We are still learning about her.”

Black Caviar became Bel Esprit’s fifth stakeswinner and has enhanced a great season for her sire who stand this spring at a fee of $16,500 inc. GST with a live foal guarantee and extended payment terms to 31 March 2010. Enormous value.

For further information on Bel Esprit, please phone David Somers on 0428 440 330 or Mark Lindsay on 04316 334 338.

Seeing is believing … to view Black Caviar’s Caulfield blitzkrieg, click here