News

Black Caviar ready to race away with Horse of the Year honours

28th Aug 2012

The Daily Telegraph - Ray Thomas - Tuesday, 28 August 2012

Pierro, Atlantic Jewel, More Joyous, Ortensia and Manighar are all legitimate contenders but not even this talented quintet can stop Black Caviar from claiming Horse of the Year honours.

The finalists for the 2012 Australian Champion Racehorse Awards have been announced and despite the quality of nominations, Black Caviar is at almost unbackable odds to retain the coveted title.

She is set to become only the fourth horse to win multiple Horse of the Year awards after Might And Power (1998, 1999), Sunline (2000, 2001, 2002) and Makybe Diva (2005, 2006).

Black Caviar stretched her phenomenal undefeated record to 22 wins when she won all nine starts during 2011/12 including six at Group 1 level.

The mighty mare capped another extraordinary season with a famous win in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

NSW TAB is not allowed to bet on Horse of the Year due to restrictive state government legislation but at the request of The Daily Telegraph, TAB's Glenn Munsie framed a hypothetical market on the awards with Black Caviar a $1.50 favourite.

"Black Caviar should win Horse of the Year as easily as she wins most of her races," Munsie said.

"She won more races and more Group 1 races than any other horse during the season and also a major in England. She deserves the award."

Trainer Peter Moody has confirmed Black Caviar is due to return to his Caulfield stables next Monday and go into light work before a decision is made about if and when the champion sprinter will return to racing in the New Year.

Black Caviar is a near-certainty to claim another Champion Sprinter award as her nine wins came at distances up to 1400m.

Munsie said in any other year, Gai Waterhouse's duo Pierro and More Joyous would have been worthy Horse of the Year winners.

"Pierro was unbeaten in his six starts and won the two-year-old triple crown so I'd have him second favourite at $5," Munsie said.

"I've got More Joyous at $6 because she won three Group 1 races, won a major handicap (Doncaster Mile) and went to 2000m to win the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. They both had outstanding seasons but how do you put them above Black Caviar?"

Manighar's unique Australian Cup-Ranvet Stakes-The BMW Group 1 prompted Munsie to rate him next in the betting at $11 with unbeaten Atlantic Jewel at $21 and Ortensia at $34. Ortensia's international form has again emphasised the dominance of Australia's sprinters but her wins in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes and Group 2 King George Stakes will not count towards Horse of the Year.

Her English wins falls outside the 2011/12 season.