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Caviar a champ
Black Caviar continued the amazing recent run of mares in racing’s most coveted award when she was announced Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year for season 2010-11 at a gala dinner at Crown on Sunday.
Eight of the past 12 winners of the national title have been mares: the others are – Sunline (three times, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02), Makybe Diva (twice, 04-05, 05-06), Miss Andretti (06-07) and last year’s winner Typhoon Tracy.
Only Northerly, Lonhro, Weekend Hussler and Scenic Blast have won it for the boys since Might And Power took out the title in 1998-99.
Since the first Australian Champion Racehorse was won by Rain Lover in 1969, only 16 mares have won the title – the first mare to win it was Leilani in 1975.
Black Caviar earned 301 votes out of possible 318 beating So You Think (208), now starring in Europe, who also finished runner-up in 2010.
Black Caviar, who is unbeaten in 13 starts, had eight starts last season, winning six times at Group 1 level in three states at three separate carnivals – Patinack Farm Classic (1200m Flemington) in the spring; the Lightning Stakes (1000m, Flemington), Newmarket Handicap (1200m, Flemington), William Reid Stakes (1200m, Moonee Valley) and the T J Smith (1200m, Randwick) in the autumn; and finished off her stellar season beating Hay List in the BTC Cup (1200m, Doomben) in the winter.
The brilliant mare also became the first unbeaten horse to win the award.
For most of last season, Black Caviar was the highest rated horse in the world, according to the International Classification and the respected authority Timeform, before the brilliant Frankel knocked her off the mantle.
Like Typhoon Tracy last year, Black Caviar is trained by the horseman of the moment, Peter Moody. The big mare is Victorian bred – the first Victorian-bred winner since Rose Of Kingston won for owner-breeder David Hains in 1982 – thanks to the astute pedigree study of Rick Jamieson from Gilgai Farm, who selected the Eliza Park-based stallion Bel Esprit as the perfect mare for his mare Helsinge (by Desert Sun (GB) from Scandinavia, by Snippets).
Bel Esprit is the first stallion to sire a winner of the award from a cover on a Victorian farm since Maybe Lad (St. John’s Lane Stud, Sunbury) sired Maybe Mahal, who won in 1977-78.
Black Caviar is owned by a group of friends who first thought of the idea of racing a horse together while holidaying on a houseboat in Echuca. That initial group was Colin and Jannene Madden, Gary and Kerryn Wilkie and Neil Werrett, who were later joined by Pam Hawkes (Jannene Madden’s sister) and David and Jill Taylor (friends of the Wilkies). Black Caviar cost $210,000 as a yearling, bought on the bid of Peter Moody at the 2008 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
The other awards, apart from Champion 3YO Colt or Gelding, went as expected – Sepoy (Champion 2YO), Black Caviar (Champion Sprinter), So You Think (Champion Middle Distance), Shamrocker (Champion 3YO Filly) and Black And Bent (Champion Jumper).
Star Witness was named the Champion 3YO Colt or Gelding in a year when the fillies dominated over the boys. Star Witness got most votes for winning the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes in the spring and performing well against older horses at the highest level throughout the season, including a second placing in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Could be wrong but I suspect they’re even bunch & wfa races will be shared around this spring, Southern Speed running so well IMO, is suggesting that.
Need to see Precedence & Shamrocker run again Flem, both have proven themselves as running best races there.
I’d like to see Playing God dropped back in grade a race like JRA Cup, unlikely to happen though. Has run upto leading division in his last few races but unable finish off, maybe fitness, maybe like plenty horses, he enjoys running with the mob. Needs get winning habit back.
Evaluating them on raw times would be dangerous, but did I hear slowest run Underwood since Perlin, in words of Will Robinson…
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Good read !
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