EVEN from his Perth training operation, Jim Taylor admits to having more than a cursory interest in the preparation of the world's best sprinter, Black Caviar, as the mare is aimed towards next year's summer-autumn carnival in Melbourne, reports The Age.It says: It's with good reason that Taylor monitors the progress of the all-conquering Black Caviar, as he intends to be in Melbourne early in the new year with his unbeaten sprinter Barakey. But he is cautious at making extravagant plans, despit

EVEN from his Perth training operation, Jim Taylor admits to having more than a cursory interest in the preparation of the world's best sprinter, Black Caviar, as the mare is aimed towards next year's summer-autumn carnival in Melbourne, reports The Age.

It says: It's with good reason that Taylor monitors the progress of the all-conquering Black Caviar, as he intends to be in Melbourne early in the new year with his unbeaten sprinter Barakey. But he is cautious at making extravagant plans, despite Barakey aiming for his 11th straight success in the group 1 $500,000 Winterbottom Stakes (1200 metres) at Ascot on Saturday.

Taylor has been around too long to make predictions that his sprinter will be a genuine rival to Black Caviar or even those on the second rung in Melbourne and Sydney. ''He's a very nice horse, he's got amazing speed, but it's another thing to come from local racing here in the west to taking on the very best sprinters in Melbourne,'' he said. ''The [Winterbottom Stakes] will very much be a litmus test for Barakey as he steps into weight-for-age racing for the first time and he's tackling horses from here in Perth and those flying in from the east coast.''

Taylor knew very early that Barakey had blistering speed. ''The first time I galloped the horse I matched him up with a local open-grade sprinter and Barakey beat him by 10 lengths, and the thought ran through my mind that the older horse must've broken down,'' he said. ''But when I quizzed the jockeys involved they pointed out that the young, unraced sprinter was just purely and simply too good.''

There was no secret about Barakey's stunning track gallop, as he was sent out $1.40 favourite at his debut.

Barakey's performance on Saturday will largely determine if the horse comes east for the autumn or remains in Western Australia. (www.theage.com.au)