‘Caviar would have easily won King’s Stand’
Thursday 21 June 2012
By Geoffrey Riddle
Peter Moody believes that Black Caviar is physically in the best form for two years as the world’s best sprinter gears up to face 14 rivals in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday.
Black Caviar completed a final piece of work earlier this week and since then Moody has kept his undefeated mare ticking along ahead of the Group One sprint.
“I’ve been very pleased by how she has progressed. Her work brought her along a little bit and allowed me to look at her action. Physically she is the fittest I’ve had her for two years. I can’t fault her,” he said in the early hours of this morning on RSN radio, an Australian station.
Bated Breath, Ortensia and Whizz Kid, who were second, ninth and tenth respectively in the King’s Stand Stakes on Tuesday were withdrawn at the final declaration stage for the six furlong contest, while Aidan O’Brien’s Crusade will not run.
Moonlight Cloud was declared by Freddy Head and the French filly is a best-priced 13-2 with Paddy Power to account for the Australian raider at level weights.
“Moonlight Cloud is one we haven’t been exposed to – she’s the leftfield horse, Moody added. “I would feel brave enough and cocky enough to suggest Black Caviar would have given them a good towelling in the King’s Stand.”
“I read with jovial interest here that they are doubting the Australian form now Ortensia has been defeated.
“I don’t think you can read too much into comparative formlines between Black Caviar and Ortensia.”
Black Caviar is a best-priced 1-3 with Paddy Power and will be drawn in stall 15 on the stands' side rail and Moody suggested that jockey Luke Nolen might jump the gate and never be seen again by the other riders .
He said: “Traditionally, even at home the races are won by the section that holds the speed but in her case she can quite often be the speed if she needs to be.”
After Frankel’s 11-length demolition in the Queen Anne Stakes on Tuesday there has been a clamour by the racing public to see Black Caviar pick up the gauntlet to deliver a performance to bookend the meeting.
Black Caviar is odds-on with Coral to win by three lengths or more, while William Hill offer 4-1 that she wins by five lengths or more but Moody dismissed any such speculation of a rout.
“To watch Frankel up close was unbelievable. It was the single best performance I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world,” he said.
“My theory has always been to get the job done. No fanfare. We don’t need big margins. We’ve always left something in the tank – that’s why we are 21 from 21. May be it would be exciting to try and gap them but I’m happy to win by an inch.”
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