Moody welcomes attention focused on sport owing to Black Caviar

Black Caviar, the most famous horse in training, maintained her unbeaten record with an effortless success in the Group One Hacer Group William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley in Australia.

Sent off at odds of 1-25, with each of her six rivals 33-1 or longer, Luke Nolen had Peter Moody’s star mare settled in third in the early stages as stablemate Karuta Queen set the gallop before Black Caviar sprinted clear to land her 24th consecutive win.

Black Caviar was having just her second start since her last-gasp success at Royal Ascot last June, but Moody believes the mare is as good as ever.

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“I’ve thought that for a while and I’m glad she’s proven me right twice in a row,” said the trainer.

“She’s going super. That’s what it’s about now – it’s not about the wins, it’s about the great publicity she gives the sport in general. For our industry, she’s second to none.”

Black Caviar is due to race again on April 13, though it is still doubtful that she will appear at Royal Ascot in June ahead of a potential breeding ‘date’ with the legendary Frankel.

Ryedale trainer Tim Walford is aiming to continue a remarkable sequence of winners for the Chasing Gold Racing Club as Fentara contests the EBF/TBA Mares’ Novices’ Chase Finale at Newbury today – weather permitting.

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Chasing Gold’s yellow and black silks have been seen in the winner’s enclosure with regularity over the last couple of months through Jumps Road, Greywell Boy and Mibleu.

Kept closer to her Sheriff Hutton stable so far this season, Fentara needed three tries before getting off the mark over fences at Kelso.

She was then a most respectable third in the Grade Two Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby 
behind Goulanes.

“The last five Chasing Gold runners have all won, so we’re under pressure,” said Walford.

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The Paul Nicholls-trained Join Together – who unseated Ruby Walsh in Doncaster’s Grimthorpe Chase earlier this month – will have a racecourse gallop next week ahead of a tilt at the John Smith’s Grand National.

Join Together is set to go for the feature event at Aintree on 
April 6 after finishing a narrow second in the Becher Chase over the National fences before disappointing at Doncaster.

Nicholls won the National 12 months ago and will have to repeat the feat if he is to stand any chance of catching Nicky Henderson in the trainers’ title race.

Mick Easterby’s stable star Hoof It is to be aimed at the Duke of York Stakes at York in May after missing the second half of last season with a virus.

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The six-year-old sprinter, owned by golf ace Lee Westwood and his agent Chubby Chandler, is back in training. “He had an operation on his throat and he’s come right. He’s quite nice now and he’s going well, fingers crossed,” said Easterby.

“He picked up a bug first time he ran and picked up a virus. There was not only him. Nearly all the yard did and they were never really right all year. There’s nothing you can do. I’m very pleased with him now.”

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