News

Sprinters step out of the mighty Black Caviar's shadow

10th May 2013

Herald Sun - Matt Stewart - Thursday, 9 May 2013

SO you reckon Black Caviar beat hacks?

If that's true - which it isn't - then tomorrow's two big sprints, the BTC Cup at Eagle Farm and The Goodwood at Morphettville, are full of hacks.

The strong fields for these sprints, both won by the great mare, are a lingering reminder of the sheer dominance of Black Caviar.

The BTC Cup is also a reminder of her influence.

The cup is run every year across the road from Eagle Farm at Doomben.

But sensing Black Caviar might have run in the race this year - like she did in 2010 when she ran down that "hack" Hay List - Queensland authorities switched venues because Eagle Farm can hold the bigger crowd.

Black Caviar pulled out, of course, but the leftovers are far from hacks.

It's just the likes of Buffering, Rain Affair, Spirit Of Boom and Sea Siren were not in the same suburb as Black Caviar.

Buffering, the best sprinter in Queensland and a warm BTC Cup favourite, met Black Caviar three times. The closest he got was a 2 3/4 lengths second in the 2011 Patinack Farm Classic at Flemington.

You will recall the mare cantered to the wire that day and Buffering spluttered into second.

Black Caviar met multiple Group 1 winner Sea Siren once and flogged her by six lengths in the T.J. Smith, Black Caviar's swansong.

Black Caviar met Spirit Of Boom once, and flogged him by six lengths; met Rain Affair once, and beat him by 5 1/2 lengths in the T.J. Smith.

If there is an upside to Black Caviar's retirement, it is that one-act affair Group 1 races are now contests; no-bet races are now fodder for TAB coffers.

History (beaten margins to Black Caviar) says there is little between Buffering, Sea Siren, Rain Affair and Spirit Of Boom.

The intrigue of the BTC Cup will be whether Buffering and Rain Affair run each other into the ground, allowing a star mare like Sea Siren to sit back and pounce.

Moment Of Change is a well-backed hot favourite in The Goodwood, the race Black Caviar won in a canter in 2012.

Peter Moody's best sprinter now ran his best ever sprinter to 2 1/2 lengths in the Lightning Stakes in February. That run had Moment Of Change a weight certainty at his next start in the Newmarket Handicap, and he all but won, running a close second to Royal Ascot-bound Shamexpress.

Moment Of Change then flopped in Sydney but the mail from the camp (and the hint from betting) is that he is back to his best. And when that best means 2 1/2 lengths to Black Caviar (giving her 2kg), that makes him a moral in The Goodwood.