02-13-2012, 08:30 PM
one to watch Duchess! beautiful mare~
(CNN) -- Unbeaten in 18 races, Black Caviar has already entered horse racing's history books and become a sprinting superstar in her native Australia. But will the mare be able to translate that to international success this year?
Black Caviar's annihilation of the rest of the field in Saturday's Orr Stakes in Melbourne matched the feats of legendary 18th century racehorse Eclipse, putting them joint third in the all-time list of undefeated thoroughbreds.
Her trainer Peter Moody will now be hoping that history repeats when she defends her Lightning Stakes crown at Flemington this Saturday.
But the bigger tests, and larger plaudits, will rest in overseas challenges.
Her 18th successive win, at the Caulfield course, was a step up in distance to seven furlongs, or 1,400 meters, but it proved no obstacle for Luke Nolen's mount as she pulled away from the field in the closing stages of the race.
Foaled in 2006, the five-year-old bay had only been lightly-raced in her two, three and four-year-old seasons, but she has been busier this campaign with connections now aiming for the glamor Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot for her first foray on English soil.
Although a specialist over the shorter distances of 1,000 and 1,200 meters, the step up for the Orr Stakes was thought to be an attempt to prepare her for the undulating Ascot turf, although the Diamond Jubilee Stakes will be contested over six -- not seven -- furlongs.
The presence of the world's top-rated sprinter at Royal Ascot's showpiece event -- renamed, in 2012, in honor of the Queen Elizabeth's landmark jubilee -- is a mouth-watering prospect for England's most prestigious race course.
"Running the race with the world's top-rated sprinter, Black Caviar, representing Australia in what is historically Europe's most international race would be a wonderful way to begin a new era for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes," said an Ascot spokesman.
(CNN) -- Unbeaten in 18 races, Black Caviar has already entered horse racing's history books and become a sprinting superstar in her native Australia. But will the mare be able to translate that to international success this year?
Black Caviar's annihilation of the rest of the field in Saturday's Orr Stakes in Melbourne matched the feats of legendary 18th century racehorse Eclipse, putting them joint third in the all-time list of undefeated thoroughbreds.
Her trainer Peter Moody will now be hoping that history repeats when she defends her Lightning Stakes crown at Flemington this Saturday.
But the bigger tests, and larger plaudits, will rest in overseas challenges.
Her 18th successive win, at the Caulfield course, was a step up in distance to seven furlongs, or 1,400 meters, but it proved no obstacle for Luke Nolen's mount as she pulled away from the field in the closing stages of the race.
Foaled in 2006, the five-year-old bay had only been lightly-raced in her two, three and four-year-old seasons, but she has been busier this campaign with connections now aiming for the glamor Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot for her first foray on English soil.
Although a specialist over the shorter distances of 1,000 and 1,200 meters, the step up for the Orr Stakes was thought to be an attempt to prepare her for the undulating Ascot turf, although the Diamond Jubilee Stakes will be contested over six -- not seven -- furlongs.
The presence of the world's top-rated sprinter at Royal Ascot's showpiece event -- renamed, in 2012, in honor of the Queen Elizabeth's landmark jubilee -- is a mouth-watering prospect for England's most prestigious race course.
"Running the race with the world's top-rated sprinter, Black Caviar, representing Australia in what is historically Europe's most international race would be a wonderful way to begin a new era for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes," said an Ascot spokesman.