IT IS a race that may have been overlooked because of its more testing conditions, but suddenly the $1 million Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on March 10 is shaping as the race where Black Caviar could complete her world record assault this autumn, reports The Age. It says: The unbeaten star's trainer, Peter Moody, has been adamant in recent weeks that he wants Black Caviar to clinch her 20th consecutive victory in Australia and, if that is to be achieved before a planned trip to England this
IT IS a race that may have been overlooked because of its more testing conditions, but suddenly the $1 million Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on March 10 is shaping as the race where Black Caviar could complete her world record assault this autumn, reports The Age.
It says: The unbeaten star's trainer, Peter Moody, has been adamant in recent weeks that he wants Black Caviar to clinch her 20th consecutive victory in Australia and, if that is to be achieved before a planned trip to England this winter, the options include a tilt at the Newmarket two weeks after what is expected to be her 19th win in the Futurity Stakes.
After Black Caviar smashed her rivals and created new records for weight-carrying and for times run in last year's Newmarket Handicap - the race recognised as Australia's premier sprinting event - few expected that she would return to handicap conditions.
But her managing part-owner, Neil Werrett, conceded the possibility when he said over the weekend: ''If she got 59 or 59.5 kilograms, I think that could tempt Pete [Moody] and us into running her.''
The chances of her being allocated a Newmarket weight under 60 kilograms are remote at best, given she has won four group 1 races since winning the race last year with 58 kilograms, but if she was to be given 60 kilograms or a touch more when weights are released at the end of February, the race would be appealing for any number of reasons.