WEST AUSTRALIAN racing was putting on a brave front yesterday after news all-conquering sprinter Black Caviar was taking a break and that a much-anticipated trip to Perth had been abandoned, repolrts The Age. It says: For the past six months, the Western Australian Turf Club had been preparing for the arrival of the world's fastest racehorse to contest the $500,000 Winterbottom Stakes on November 19, but yesterday club officials conceded they were ''disappointed'', although they understood why t

WEST AUSTRALIAN racing was putting on a brave front yesterday after news all-conquering sprinter Black Caviar was taking a break and that a much-anticipated trip to Perth had been abandoned, repolrts The Age.

It says: For the past six months, the Western Australian Turf Club had been preparing for the arrival of the world's fastest racehorse to contest the $500,000 Winterbottom Stakes on November 19, but yesterday club officials conceded they were ''disappointed'', although they understood why the mare had been put away until the autumn. Black Caviar's trainer, Peter Moody, said yesterday that the trip west was off after examinations confirmed the horse had pulled up sore after her win in the Patinack Farm Classic at Flemington on Saturday.

''She knows she's had a run,'' Moody told Radio Sport National. ''She is a little bit jarry and has a little muscle tear up high behind...'It is nothing too dramatic but just enough to suggest to us, after consultation with the owners, that she will have a little rest rather than go to Perth, unfortunately.''

As news filtered through to Perth, the proposed $350,000 in government funds that was to be used solely to promote the meeting and to improve tourism to Perth for the race was withdrawn. However, all is not lost for the WATC. The upside for the club is that the meeting, which carries stake money of more than $2.2 million, will now appeal more to local and eastern state horses.