Black Caviar scrapes home despite pilot error

Black Caviar's momentous popularity can be measured by the fact that her

narrow defeat of the Euro brigade was watched live by a crowd of 10,000 in a

closed-off Federation Square in Melbourne, as well as by the largest contingent

of visiting Australians in the Berkshire venue's history. Everywhere she goes

now, she generates a wave of salmon-and-black memorabilia, and Ascot was

relatively benign Saturday when compared to the scenes at Adelaide's

Morphettville racetrack or at the likes of Flemington, Caulfield and Moonee

Valley. Nevertheless, the welterweight of goodwill and support from the British

people was clear to see and, despite not producing her usual visual feast at

Ascot, she was met with a tumultuous welcome as she returned to the winner's

spot.

There was no Hay List in the line-up here and very few that seemed able to

push her to the kind of performance witnessed in the last two renewals of the

Group 1 Lightning Stakes or last year's Group 1 T.J. Smith or Group 1 Newmarket

Handicap, but the outcome was far too close for comfort.

Having come out of the stalls with her usual gusto, the dark bay was settled

in third early traveling smoothly as Frankie Dettori cut out the running on

Soul. Moving up to lead passing the quarter-pole, her effort looked more labored

than usual, but she soon had two lengths to spare out in front.

Nolen waved the stick, but never used it and put it down with 125 yards

remaining as the French contenders Moonlight Cloud and Restiadargent started to

wear her down. As Black Caviar began to tread water, her rider eased off the

gas, and the final yards were as dramatic as any finish in the Royal meeting's

history. Nolen gave her one more push as he realized his error with the French

fillies bearing down, and luckily the post came in the nick of time. This was

her first photo finish and shortest winning margin since her three-quarter

length defeat of Wanted in Flemington's Group 2 Danehill Stakes 18 runs ago.

At that heart-stopping moment, the whole of Australia skipped a beat as Nolen

engaged autopilot mode prematurely.

"The first emotion when this mare wins is relief," her rider said. "She

wasn't the same horse and you don't find out until you race. Her work on Tuesday

was as good as ever, but you don't find out until you put them under race

pressure how taxing the trip actually was.

"It's 36 hours to get to Newmarket (from Australia), but the real story is

she is still 22 for 22. I underestimated the grueling nature of the straight

six-furlong track here. I coasted late and I thought that she'd done enough, but

because it was such a test for her, she pulled up very quickly on me and took me

by surprise.

"It was a rookie mistake and one I'm glad I came out the right side of. She

wins by three-quarters of a length if I kept at her, but I was looking after her

late. I wasn't easing her, I let her coast.

"She was out on her feet, she was stuffed and it took me by surprise. When I

let her coast, she stopped under me, but she's still the victor. I won't get to

ride another one like her and I probably won't live long enough to see another

one as good."

Trainer Peter Moody stood up for his rider afterwards.

"You've only got to win by a quarter of an inch -- that was what we were

prepared to win by and we've got the job done," he commented. "We never expect

dominance and we've never asked her for dominance.

"We are extremely proud of her. She's 22-for-22. I'm an extremely proud

Aussie and words can't describe it. It's very fitting that it's with a horse

like this."

Freddie Head was delighted by the effort of Moonlight Cloud.

"One more stride and we would have won," the trainer told PA Sport. "I think

we will now head for the Prix Maurice de Gheest (Group 1 on August 5) at

Deauville and I don't think we will return here for the July Cup (Group 1 at

Newmarket July 14). I love this filly, she is a darling and she will make a

lovely broodmare one day."

Fellow French trainer Henri-Alex Pantall told PA Sport, "I am so happy with (Restiadargent),

because I would have settled for coming fourth or fifth, so this is a bonus. She

is still very green and was a three-year-old against older horses, which makes

the run even more commendable. She is only a baby, but I would not be frightened

of taking on Moonlight Cloud again in the Maurice de Gheest."

Moody, reflecting on the performance by the "Queen of Speed," intimated that

it might have been her swan song.

"It's not sunk in yet and I'm very proud. She's come a long way and got the

job done nicely. We're accustomed to her winning comfortably and dominating

races, but she wasn't in that dominating fashion today. You saw her a long way

off her top, and anyone who'd seen her races at home might have had concerns

three or four furlongs from home.

"In saying that, she ran a half mile in 41 1/2 (mph), so it's no surprise

that she was running on empty at the line. I was concerned that she didn't

travel like she does at home, and I was concerned that she was off her top a

fair way out. Grit and determination got her home.

"She'll be in quarantine at 10 a.m. Sunday morning, and back in Melbourne in

28 days.

"We won't have any discussion over retirement unless any injury comes to

light, and I've not seen anything, but if she's as tired and as worn out when

she arrives home in Australia, you may have seen her grace the track for the

last time. Hopefully, that's not the case, and she'll resume work in preparation

for the Spring Carnival at Melbourne. We'll let her guide us. It's been a great

ride and I'm very grateful to have been a small part of that. She's done great

things for racing."

Racecourse vets examined Black Caviar after the Diamond Jubilee, but gave the

unbeaten mare the all-clear.

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