News

Black Caviar retired after 25 wins in a row

17th Apr 2013

Sydney Morning Herald - Wednesday 17 April 2013

Champion racehorse Black Caviar has been retired.

She made it 25 victories in a row winning the TJ Smith at Randwick on Saturday, bringing up an Australian record 15th group 1 win.

Trainer Peter Moody and the owners met on Tuesday. Moody said he tabled blood tests, chiropractic results and veterinary checks and the decision was made quickly.

"The owners had a long chat the last couple of days and we thought 25 was a great number," Moody said.

"We thought long and hard about racing for another season. We thought about Royal Ascot. We thought [about] Brisbane. But we thought this was the right time to finish."

Moody added: "She has probably never looked better.

"We got three more runs that we never thought we could get after Ascot last year."

Black Caviar will be paraded at Caulfield on Saturday.

Moody said Black Caviar’s 2013 campaign, which also netted wins in the Lightning Stakes and William Reid Stakes, had been a bonus after her Royal Ascot win last year took a heavy toll on the mare.

‘‘We got three more runs than we thought we were ever going to have,’’ he said. ‘‘We thought she would be retired post-Ascot.

‘‘But we’ve been fortunate to bring her home here and I think the owners are to be congratulated on allowing me to race her on and give the Australian public three more opportunities to see her.’’

Co-owner Neil Werrett said he did not know before the weekend’s race at Randwick that it would be Black Caviar’s final race.

‘‘I didn't know Saturday was her last run,’’ Werrett said. ‘‘I thought she would be racing again.’’

Milestones in Black Caviar's 25-win career

• Won her first race on April 18, 2009 at Flemington when ridden by Jarrad Noske

• Posted her first black-type win at her next start in the Blue Sapphire Stakes at Caulfield

• Her six-length winning margin in the Listed race was the equal biggest of her 24 starts, shared with her 2011 Schweppes Stakes victory

• Announced her arrival on the Group One stage with an emphatic Patinack Farm Classic win at Flemington on November 6, 2010

• Her biggest winning margin in a Group One race was her 4-1/2 length win in last year's Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville

• The closest she came to defeat was a narrow escape in last year's Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, her first and only overseas appearance, when she won by a head

• Her aggregate winning margin was 79.7 lengths and her average winning margin was 3.184 lengths

• In winning the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick, Black Caviar set an Australian record of 15 Group One victories

• She retires with $7,953,936 in stakes earnings

• Australian Horse Of The Year season 2010-11 and 2011-12

• Inducted into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame in 2013. First horse to be inducted while still racing

• Ranked the best sprinter in the world for three straight years from 2010-2012.