RacingXtra

South Australia’s biggest sprint race was the scene of Black Caviar’s 21st straight win

Black Caviar will head to England with her unbeaten record in tact following a soft win in today’s $500,000 Group 1 The Goodwood at Morphettville in Adelaide.

The champion mare made it 21 straight victories when she cruised home by just over a length from We’re Gonna Rock at her final start before heading to England for the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on 23 June.

It wasn’t the most dominant performance of her unprecedented career, but she was never out of “second gear” in a performance that left trainer Peter Moody and jockey Luke Nolen satisfied.

“Luke looked after her,” Moody said. “He was kind on her and we’re happy with where we’re at. It’s just good to get another one behind us.

“She’s done a good job, she’s where we want her and as along as she pleases us the next three weeks we’re on the plane to England.

“I know tomorrow there’ll be the naysayers there (saying), ‘she’s beat We’re Gonna Rock a length-and-a-half this and that’, but we’re happy.”

The daughter of Bel Esprit was allowed to do as she pleased in the 1200-metre event. While she only jumped moderately from her wide barrier, the reluctance of any of her rivals to push forward left Nolen sharing the lead in what was a slow tempo.

Nolen took Black Caviar to the front rounding the home bend, but unlike previous races when he has put a gap on his rivals before easing her down, he just let her idle in front.

At the line the $1.04 favourite had 1-1/4 lengths to spare over a gallant We’re Gonna Rock with Stirling Grove back in third spot.

Nolen said he didn’t ask any more than required of the five-year-old, who has now won 11 Group 1 races and lifted her earnings to $5,770,550.

“Armchair easy it was,” Nolen said. “We were never out of second gear. She travelled strongly, I kept her happy, simple as that.

“Here the other day, she wasn’t the same horse, but obviously today she was back to the machine she was.”

Black Caviar’s win was part of a stellar day at Morphettville for Victoria. Among the other winners was 2011 Australian Cup runner-up Linton, who made a dream debut for Flemington trainer John Sadler.

The grey gelding, who was formerly raced by Lloyd Williams, was a strong winner of the Group 3 R.A. Lee Stakes (1600m) at his first run since finishing failing to beat a runner home in last year’s Turnbull Stakes.

The Robert Smerdon-trained Red Typhoon won the Group 3 South Australian Fillies Classic (2500m), while Dance With Her backed up her Warrnambool Cup win in the Listed Centaurea Stakes, Finiguerra claimed the Listed Port Adelaide Cup and Peter Morgan’s Lucky Penny made it three wins from as many starts in the Listed Laelia Stakes.

Champion jumper Black And Bent is set for a long stint on the sidelines

The jumps season has been dealt a blow with news that drawcard jumper Black And Bent has injured a tendon and will not race again in 2012.

The champion six-year-old’s part-owner Mike Symons this morning revealed the news via Twitter.

Symons said that the Robert Smerdon-trained gelding has hurt the same leg that caused him to miss almost 12 months’ racing in 2010/11 and was set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

“Black And Bent has injured his tendon – near fore, same (as) last time – and will not race again this season,” Symons said. “Hopefully he can bounce back in 2013.”

The news comes less than a fortnight after the son of Black Hawk equalled Lots Of Time’s Australian record of nine consecutive jumps victories with a strong win over Gotta Take Care in the Galleywood Hurdle and just three days after being passed fit to contest steeplechase races.

Black And Bent’s most recent Galleywood win was his second in that race, having also won the 2010 edition. He also won the Australian Hurdle in 2010 and last year won the Grand National Hurdle in between wins in the Kevin Lafferty Hurdle and J.J. Houlahan Hurdle.

A winner of seven races on the flat, Black And Bent has won 12 of his 18 starts over jumps and $643,830 of his $936,236 in earnings has come via hurdle events.

While a blow for fans of jumps racing, his absence has opened up the remaining legs of this year’s J.J. Houlahan Jumps Championship.

Black And Bent was to have had his next start in either the $100,000 Jack Dow Memorial Hurdle or the $100,000 Great Southern Steeplechase at Mornington this Sunday before being set for the Grand Nationals.

Buffering showed he was the horse to beat in the upcoming Group One BTC Cup with a stunning win in today’s $100,000 Weight-For-Age Sprint at Eagle Farm.

On the lead throughout, Buffering showed exceptional acceleration over the final stages to draw away from former Horse of the Year Scenic Blast and win by a widening seven length margin.

The performance had the good judges impressed and connections looking forward to his coming goals during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.

Trainer Rob Heathcote said the gelded son of Mossman would head to the BTC Cup and the Doomben 10,000 where Autumn Carnival star Nash Rawiller has been booked for the rides.

“He’s been racing against the best two sprinters in the world in Black Caviar and Hay List and he put them to the sword today,” Heathcote told AAP.

Today’s $100,000 feature was held as a consolation after last Saturday’s meeting featuring the Sir Byrne Hart Stakes was washed out.

Heathcote thanked Racing Queensland for rescheduling today’s weight-for-age race and said the race was necessary to get his star ready for further feature events.

“It was a good decision and he’s an important horse for Queensland racing in the winter.”

It’s full steam ahead now as connections aim for a breakthrough and deserved win at Group One level after a number of close calls.

“I’ve seen the BTC Cup noms and he’ll trim up a point or two further now.”

“He’s proven at weight-for-age and the others aren’t but I was a little surprised at the ease of his win (today).”

One of three impressive city winners on the day for Vinery Stud sire Mossman, Buffering has turned out an incredible money spinner for his connections.

The Racetree bred graduate was purchased by Heathcote’s good friend, renowned New Zealand based bloodstock agent Paul Willetts for $22,000 at the 2009 Magic Millions QTIS Yearling Sale.

His outstanding record now reads out at nine wins and nine minor placings from just 24 starts and earnings of over $1.45 million.

Buffering came into today’s race after a streak of four Group One placings – second in the Patinack Farm Classic (to Black Caviar), third in the Lightning Stakes (to Black Caviar and Hay List), second in the Newmrket Handicap (half head behind Hay List) and third in the William Reid Stakes (to Foxwedge and Hay List).

The win was another timely boost for Buffering’s weanling half brother by Hidden Dragon set to go under the hammer at the upcoming Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.

The colt is the latest product of the Sydney winning and top producing Anabaa mare Action Annie – a half sister to 12 time winning international black type galloper Don’t Go Crazy.

The weanling colt, catalogued as lot 553, is being offered at the Gold Coast by Lyndhurst Stud Farm on behalf of Summerholm Park.

Buffering’s sire Mossman was today also represented by the listed Wangoom winner Second Effort as well as Sydney winner Mossmine – fittingly in the Mossman Handicap.

Mossman has 11 lots catalogued for next month’s Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.

Black Caviar strolled to her 20th consecutive win in Adelaide on Saturday

Champion mare Black Caviar gave South Australian racegoers what they flocked to Morphettville to see when she registered a historic 20th consecutive win in Saturday’s $400,000 Group 1 Sportingbet Classic in Adelaide.

The Peter Moody-trained five-year-old maintained her unbeaten record when she made light work of a field of female rivals in front of a sell-out crowd of 30,000.

The daughter of Bel Esprit eclipsed an almost-century-old Australasian metropolitan record for consecutive wins, previously held by Gloaming and Desert Gold, and bettered the modern-day world mark for wins achieved from debut, set by Zenyatta and Peppers Pride earlier this millennium.

Black Caviar did it just as easily as she had at any of her previous 19 wins at her South Australian debut, but Moody was still relieved to see her notch the 20th success.

“It’s tremendous, isn’t it,” Moody said. “It’s great to get that (20th win) behind us. She had a nice gallop, it’s happy days.

“She hasn’t let us down yet. It’s just fabulous to see the people here enjoy today.”

The win was Black Caviar’s 10th at the highest level and the $254,600 first prize lifted her career earnings to $5,450,150.

Bar for uncustomarily beginning best, the Sportingbet Classic played out much the same way as most of Black Caviar’s races.

Regular partner Luke Nolen allowed her to settle just off the speed before taking control rounding the home bend and kicking clear early in the straight before being eased down over the concluding stages.

At the line the $1.05 favourite held a 4.5-length advantage over fellow Victorian Sistine Angel ($31), with Power Princess ($51) a half-head away third, just in advance of $17 second favourite Lone Rock.

Nolen, who often jokes he won’t return to scale if Black Caviar does one day get beaten, said it was fantastic that the big crowd got what they came to see.

“It feels bloody awesome,” Nolen said. “It was going to be too far to ride her home if she got beat, there’s a lot of people here to see Black Caviar, and she didn’t let anyone down.”

Black Caviar’s shot at equalling Queensland galloper’s Picnic In The Park’s mark of 21 straight wins is likely to also come in Adelaide, in the $500,000 Group 1 Goodwood (1200m) on 12 May.

That will be her final start before heading to England for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, where victory would see her equal the all-time record for an Australian thoroughbred of 22 straight wins, set by country Queensland horse Miss Petty between 1985-89.

Nolen had to settle for second placing in the other Group 1 event on the Morphettville card, denied by the Clarry Conners-trained Invest in the $400,000 Schweppes Australasian Oaks (2000m).

Nolen’s mount, the Mick Kent-trained Our Miss Jones, couldn’t reel in Invest, who capitalised on a crack Peter Mertens ride to register the second win of her 13-start career.

The victory marked a welcome return to the Group 1 winner’s stall for veteran Victorian hoop Mertens, whose previous elite-level success came aboard the Bart Cummings-trained Sirmione in the 2008 Australian Cup.

All conquering juvenile Pierro confirmed his status as one of the greatest two-year-olds ever to have raced in Australia with a stunning win in today’s Group One Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.

In winning the colt by Lonhro completed the juvenile triple crown having already this preparation captured both the Golden Slipper Stakes and ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes.

Unbeaten in six starts, Pierro heads to the paddock having collected his earnings almost $3 million in a faultless season.

Trainer Gai Waterhouse was again rolling out the superlatives as the outstanding colt streaked clear of his rivals again.

“Outstanding, absolutely outstanding,” the champion Hall of Famer beamed from the mounting enclosure.

“It is a privilege to see a horse as a good as him. Colts just don’t do what he’s done.”

“I have trained plenty of good two-year-olds and they rarely win races like this and the triple crown.”

“This horse is truly outstanding,” she added.

Regular rider Nash Rawiller likewise was beaming from the winner’s stall.

“He has just been a phenomenal ride,” the delighted hoop said. “He’s been arrogant today, there is no other word to describe it.”

“He is just a magnificent horse.”

“You can push the button on him then get him to come back under you at any stage of the race.”

“There was never a worry in the world – he was too good.”

“He has continued to raise the bar and it has been more than my dreams could have imagined – it’s been unbelievable.”

Pierro, whose six wins have all been at stakes level, was bred and sold by Darley for $115,000 at the 2010 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.

He was purchased there by David Kobritz and then prepared by the Musk Creek Farm team for last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where he made $230,000 to the bid of Gai Waterhouse.

One of 32 classy stakes winners for Lonhro, Pierro is from the Sydney winning Daylami mare Miss Right Note.

Miss Right Note is a half sister to the Group One winner Laverock – a close relation to Pierro being a son of Octagonal – the sire of Lonhro.