Sunday, 24 June 2012: It could have gone down in history as one of racing's greatest blunders! Champion mare Black Caviar kept her unbeaten record intact with a dramatic victory in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot but not before her rider Luke Nolen misjudged the finish and almost brought to an end her unrivalled sequence of 22 wins.
 | Luke Nolen
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The 1-6 favourite had travelled strongly on the pace and easily went to the front with two furlongs to run with Nolen holding her together.
She came under pressure a furlong out but responded well as the French pair Moonlight Cloud and Restiadargent began to loom as threats on her outside closer to the grandstand rail.
They were making ground strongly when Nolen inexplicably relaxed and eased down Black Caviar before he realised his error and was able to pick her up again.
Fortunately Black Caviar responded to his late urging and held on to win by a head from the fast closing Moonlight Cloud with Restiadargent only a neck away, the closest the mare has come to defeat in her 22 race career.
A sheepish Nolen accepted he had misjudged the finish.
He said: "I underestimated the testing track of Ascot. She'd had enough and I was trying to take care of her – she was going to win by about three quarters of a length but that big engine throttled right down.
"It's unfortunate, because we're going to talk more about my brain failure than the horse's fantastic effort.
"We won, that's the main thing. We got away with it."
Trainer Peter Moody refused to condemn Nolen, relieved that the pressure of preparing Black Caviar for her first race outside Australia had ended successfully despite giving him a big scare.
"You've only got to win by a quarter of an inch," Moody said.
"We got the job done. We never expect dominance - we never ask her for dominance - we are extremely proud of her."
Moody was quick to confirm that Black Caviar will be returning to Australia amid concerns that all may not be well with the great mare due to the struggle she had to win the Diamond Jubilee.
Moody admitted the mare appeared jaded and had not been at the top of the game but said there were no obvious fitness concerns when he inspected her after the race.
"She will be in quarantine in the next 24 hours and back in Melbourne in 28 days unless we find something in the morning," he said.
"It's too early to talk about what may lie ahead. We will get her home and get over all this before we think about her future."
Freddie Head, the trainer of Moonlight Cloud, said: "One more stride and we would have won.
"I think we will now head for the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville. I don't think we will return for the July Cup at Newmarket.
Her rider Thierry Jarnet said: "She was superb. She ran so well and was gaining and gaining."
 | | Posted by hammertime, on 27-6-2012 12:39:47 PM
Baz, not much relevance at all. The statement of "Moody will not run her in handicaps" was conceding that BC has already been there and done it - and no gain in going there anymore. Running in the Newmarket with 58kgs was not "IT"S ALL ABOUT PROTECTING HER RECORD" and neither was taking her half way around the World. However, as I said, she has not dodged any other horse in her career, so how can it be all about protecting her record? ”
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| | Posted by Baz, on 27-6-2012 7:14:32 AM
Anonymous,
What relevance does not running in the July Cup have to do with your statement "Moody will not run her in Handicaps". ”
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| | Posted by Group 1, on 25-6-2012 11:57:07 PM
Your kidding Baz
You are witnessing a phenomina and still cannot
appreciate her achievements. Maybe take up lawn bowls.
Ask yourself, how many horses have graced the turf at Royal Ascot (or anywhere else)that boasted an unbeaten record of 21 wins,(22 now) half at group 1 level? and she''s an Aussie bred.
We have all been lucky to witness The Diva''s 3 Melbourne Cup wins and this wonderful mares achievements. Something that our children or our childrens children may never see the likes of.
”
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| | Posted by hammertime, on 25-6-2012 11:02:14 PM
sorry oldhand, left my tag off my last post- anonymous my foot - meant every word of my post 25.6. If accounts are correct, nearly 10,000 Aussies were at Ascot to cheer Black Caviar. Would that many people show up for a racehorse, 6,000 travelling half the Globe - no way. But, for a legend - yes. Whether you agree with all the hype or not, she will go down as one of the true legends of Australian racehorses - like it or not. ”
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| | Posted by J.V., on 25-6-2012 6:23:02 PM
B.C. has never tasted defeat in 22 starts.
Even when injured she found a way to win on the world stage. Don''t blame Nolen for nearly losing the race, he didn''t . Where is his praise for putting her in a winning position for the first 5 furlongs?? He got them chasing her and they couldn''t do it.Injury and all.
Well done Luke. You deserve better acollades than the ones you have been copping ”
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| | Posted by oldhand, on 25-6-2012 3:14:53 PM
Anonymous,
Agree with you all the way here.
What sort of person are you Baz, this mare has never been beaten in her career of 22 races, all on metro tracks and one time even when her jockey has a brain fate she still wins in spite of it all; Man you should be ashamed of yourself.
Black Caviar won''t start in the July Cup because she is injured. ”
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| | Posted by Anonymous, on 25-6-2012 12:43:06 PM
all about protecting that unbeaten record Baz? Who are you kidding. She has not dodged any horse in OZ - then they take her half way around the World for one race? Sure, Moody will not run her in Handicaps, but why should he. She already won the Newmarket with 58kgs.
Where do you knockers get your kicks? Such sad people who think they are clever by bashing BC.
Is Moody really that clever that he has placed her in 22 races without opposition? - OR, is she pretty good? ”
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| | Posted by Baz, on 25-6-2012 7:09:31 AM
She couldn''t win the July Cup on that performance. It''s all about protecting that unbeaten record. ”
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| | Posted by hammertime, on 24-6-2012 5:30:46 PM
Stevez, Moody gave her a 1400mtr run as a prerequisite to taking her to Ascot. That 1400 win was perhaps too soft to be taken as a guide? She has put in her worst run of her life and still won, but I hope I am wrong in my thinking that perhaps she has had enough? If that is the case, what a wonderful ride she has given the Australian public who have flocked to race tracks to see her. It is just sad now that the doubters will have a field day - some are just not happy with 22/22. ”
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| | Posted by stevez, on 24-6-2012 3:58:43 PM
Pity the BC camp don''t stay on for the July Cup and win that as well.
Can''t understand why Nolen didn''t bother to look at where his opposition were.
I also wonder whether enough training went into her for racing on that particular track? A horse must be able to run a strong 1300-1400 to win there. Perhaps because of her dominance in Australia, they thought the same would happen there, and therefore she was under-done going into the race?
Anyway, they got the bickies and that''s what counts. And not forgetting, also travelling a long way to do it.
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