Ascot win may prove Black Caviar’s last race

Australian superstar Black Caviar will take an extended break from racing and won’t return to the track before October. The decision to give her more time to rest following her round the world trip to Royal Ascot means that she will miss the Melbourne Spring Carnival this year.

It isn’t that long trip that has caused any particular problem, but the torn back muscles Black Caviar was found to have sustained after just holding off Moonlight Cloud when extending her unbeaten record to 22 in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes. Trainer Peter Moody told Melbourne newspaper the Herald Sun that it was possible the mare may not run again.

He said, “All the owners can sit down and have a good discussion about what to do with her. We have two options. If we retire her after that meeting in September she’s still got plenty of time to go to stud. Otherwise we will give her a decent spell and bring her back for the autumn.”

Moody now has Black Caviar back in his Caulfield stable after she was released from quarantine. His assessment was that she was in good shape. However, there’s little work that can be done with a horse in quarantine, and that must have been a key factor in the decision not to hurry back to the racetrack.

Moody added, “She’s just needed time to get over her trip to England. She’s had a really busy time in the past year or so and just needs a break to get over it. She’s fine in herself and she’s recovered from her injuries, but it would be asking a lot of her to have only a couple of weeks off and then be ready for the spring.”