Unbeaten Australian mare Black Caviar won by only a head to secure a dramatic 22nd career victory in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. Jockey Luke Nolen appeared to relax in the lead on the 1-6 favourite in the closing stages and narrowly held on from Moonlight Cloud (5-1) with 40-1 shot Restiadargent a neck further back in third. Six-year-old Black Caviar, running outside her homeland for the first time after a 30-hour flight to the UK earlier this month, had cruised to the front with
Unbeaten Australian mare Black Caviar won by only a head to secure a dramatic 22nd career victory in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Jockey Luke Nolen appeared to relax in the lead on the 1-6 favourite in the closing stages and narrowly held on from Moonlight Cloud (5-1) with 40-1 shot Restiadargent a neck further back in third. Six-year-old Black Caviar, running outside her homeland for the first time after a 30-hour flight to the UK earlier this month, had cruised to the front with two furlongs remaining.
But there were nervous moments for trainer Peter Moody and Black Caviar's huge band of supporters before a photo finish confirmed the mare had won. And Moody suggested she could be retired if she does not show her usual sparkle when she returns home.
"This was always going to be the greatest risk of her career and, for the last five or six runs, we've been prepared to accept it might be her last," he said. "Hopefully, that's not the case today, but if she's as tired and worn out when she gets home, she may have graced the track for a final time."
Jockey Nolen eased up on Black Caviar in the closing stages of the race, and he blames himself for the ride.
"I underestimated the testing track of Ascot," he admitted. "She'd had enough and that big engine throttled right down. It's unfortunate, because we're going to talk more about my brain failure than the horse's fantastic effort. We won, but it may have overshadowed what was a fantastic effort by the horse. We got away with it."
Thirteen horses lined up for the big race after Hitchens was declared a non-runner, and Black Caviar broke cleanly from the widest draw in stall 15. Frankie Dettori made the early running on Soul, but the Australian mare was handily placed in third before making what looked like a decisive move to the front. As she went clear, a straightforward victory looked assured before the challengers closed in as the line approached.
"You've only got to win by a quarter of an inch - we got the job done," said trainer Moody. "We never expect dominance - we never ask her for dominance - we are extremely proud of her.