News

Caviar shines alongside Easter stars young and old

28th Apr 2012

Be it a veteran Sydney Cup winner, Oaks heroine, middle distance star in the making or dashing juvenile stakes winner, the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale had every base covered around Australia today.

Easter graduates Niwot and Invest notched Group 1 wins, while Fat Al and Wales suggested they may be stars of the future with ultra impressive victories against their own age.

Of course, the Inglis charge on a great day of racing around Australia was led by the one and only BLACK CAVIAR ($210,000 2008 Premier, 5m Bel Esprit-Helsinge), who made it 20 from 20 by taking the Group 1 Sportingbet Classic at Morphettville.

It was the 10th Group 1 win for the unbeaten mare and took her earnings to almost $5.5million. In typical style, jockey Luke Nolen had plenty to spare in the final stages, with the final margin being 4.5lengths.

Trainer Peter Moody suggested a return to Adelaide is on the cards for the Goodwood early next month before Black Caviar takes on the world in June’s Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

Morphettville packed in 33,000 delirious fans for the great mare’s first appearance in South Australia.

"She had a nice gallop - happy days,'' Moody said.

"It's a great day, fabulous to see the people here enjoy the day. I was pretty happy with where she was, Luke has got great faith in her ability and so have I.

"I don't think we ever had too much concern.''

At Randwick, NIWOT ($200,000 2006 Easter, 7g Galileo-Too Darn Hot) capped one of the most remarkable comebacks of recent times when staving off the gallant 2007 Melbourne Cup winner Efficient in the Group 1 Sydney Cup.

Niwot had returned to top form last year when winning the Andrew Ramsden (a race named in honour of his part-owner) and Lexus Quality at Flemington, which followed an 18 month injury enforced layoff.

The son of European Champion Galileo had given the impression right from the outset this time in that he was set for a profitable campaign and presented in the right race today, he ran right up to his best.

For Ramsden, it completed the set of big Australian 3200m Cups, having run second twice in recent years with Divine Rebel.

In Adelaide, INVEST ($450,000 2010 Easter, 3f Dehere-Unearthly) returned Clarry Conners to the big race winning list when carrying the Newhaven Park Stud colours to victory in the Group 1 Schweppes Australasian Oaks.

Conners gave all the credit for the win to his son Heath.

“The horse has been down there (Geelong) for two and a half months or three months and I have seen it four times,” he said.

"This filly, this is what we aimed for for a long time. We missed Sydney and thought we would go here and get the Group I next to her name.

"I'm a great trainer on the telephone.”

In Sydney the Gai Waterhouse trained FAT AL ($27,000 Easter II 2010, 3g Al Maher-Fatoon) completed the Carbine Club-Frank Packer Plate double.

One of the few others to complete the same double was the Gai Waterhouse trained Juggler, who went on to become a genuine star. Waterhouse and jockey Nash Rawiller believe Fat Al can also make his way to the top.

The trainer reiterated her intention to head Fat Al towards the Queensland Derby, but Rawiller said “he might be a bit better than Brisbane” believing he’s a spring prospect.

At Caulfield, WALES (2c Redoute’s Choice-Valkyrie Diva, $310,000 2011 Easter) became the latest member of the Makybe Diva family to make a name for themselves on the racetrack when defying a betting drift in the Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes.

This race was the first of Black Caviar’s 19 stakes wins to date three years ago.

Wales’ dam Valkyrie Diva, a half-sister to Makybe Diva, won eight races from 16 starts up to Group 3 level and this is her second winner.

The family has long been a star at annual Easter sales, with the latest offering being Tugela's Street Cry colt, which sold to Peter Moody for $1.2million earlier this month.