With the Black Caviar bandwaggon de-wheeled
With the Black Caviar bandwaggon de-wheeled, the talk has started about whether she shouyld have had another crack at Royal Asc ot.
Trainer Peter Moody admits a second trip to the Royal meeting had been in the thoughts of connections for this year, but they decided the mare has done enough.
"Collectively the mare is in great shape. We thought long and hard about Ascot, Brisbane and Adelaide but it's a good time to finish as she's done everything we've asked of her," said Moody.
"It's time to pull the career on one of our finest horses ever.
"She's got a few aches and pains but we always wanted to make sure she finished on a good note.
"After Ascot we were going to retire but in the finish we got three more runs out of her."
Moody admitted her three wins on home soil this year were something of a bonus, not only for connections but also for Australian racing fans.
''We thought she would be retired post-Ascot," he told www.smh.com.au.
''But we've been fortunate to bring her home here and I think the owners are to be congratulated on allowing me to race her on and give the Australian public three more opportunities to see her.''
Co-owner Neil Werrett admitted he did not know last Saturday's race at Randwick would be Black Caviar's swansong.
''I didn't know Saturday was her last run,'' Werrett said. ''I thought she would be racing again.''
Black Caviar was partnered by jockey Luke Nolen on all but three starts in a career spanning four years and she retires after earning over £4.5 million in prize money.
The daughter of Bel Esprit is set to say a final farewell to the track when she is paraded at Caulfield on Saturday.