Black Caviar dazzles like Lightning in comeback

Unbeaten sprint supremo Black Caviar, whose career hung in the balance after

her dramatic win in last June's Group 1 Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot, returned

to action with a course record-setting display in Saturday's Group 1 Lightning

Stakes at Flemington.

The about five-furlong dash down the straight was renamed the Black Caviar

Lightning in her honor, as its two-time defending champion, and the wondermare

turned in perhaps her most brilliant exhibition of pure speed. Looking as if

only lobbing along in a canter, Black Caviar had her rivals toiling to keep up

before she delivered the coup de grace to record an unprecedented three-peat.

Regular rider Luke Nolen was determined to atone for his nearly disastrous

miscalculation in the Diamond Jubilee, where he eased up prematurely and almost

caused her defeat. Nolen gave her a gentle nudge to make sure that she kept on,

and the response from the world's best sprinter was devastating.

Under the mildest of hand rides, Black Caviar drew off by 2 1/2 lengths in a

final time of :55.42, bettering Special's 25-year-old course record by .08. Now

a perfect 23-0, Black Caviar pushed her earnings past the A$6 million mark.

"I didn't drop me hands on her today," Nolen told racingandsports.com.au. "I

just sat there and squeezed."

Trainer Peter Moody tried to hold his emotions in check, but it was tough in

the wake of Black Caviar's performance. After exiting the Diamond Jubilee with

muscle tears, the two-time Australian Horse of the Year was not certain to see a

racecourse again, and this return from her nearly eight-month layoff exceeded

even her lofty expectations.

"We thought it was over," Moody said. "I'm just so proud. It's great to have

her back.

"Stick around and you might see a tear.

"How do you describe her? I can't, I really can't," the horseman summed up.

The six-year-old Black Caviar, who appeared a tad heavier than her usual

racing weight, was also defying the oppressive Melbourne heat.

"I think she was knocked around a bit by the heat today," Nolen offered. "But

she was pretty good once we got going. She just continues to amaze me."

Black Caviar topped a Moody trifecta in the Lightning. Stablemate Moment of

Change, himself a Group 1 winner of the Sir Rupert Clarke when last seen on

September 30, was easily best of the rest over third-placer Golden Archer.

Aside from becoming the first to win three runnings of the Lightning, Black

Caviar boasts 10 other Group 1 titles. The Bel Esprit mare could seek to regain

her crown in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap, which she won in 2011 but skipped

last year, on March 9. The Group 1 William Reid at Moonee Valley March 22 has

also been mentioned as a possible spot.

But Moody would not be drawn into discussing future options, preferring to

revel in her glorious return.

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