Four Rivals For Black Caviar
A multiple Group 1-winning sprinter will be among Black Caviar’s rivals in the most anticipated support race of Cox Plate Day
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
A multiple Group 1-winning sprinter will be among Black Caviar’s rivals in the most anticipated support race of Cox Plate Day.
Black Caviar’s quest for a 15th straight win will be carried out in the equal-smallest field of her illustrious career at Moonee Valley this Friday evening, but the best-credentialled rival the wondermare has ever met will be among her competitors.
Former Australian Horse of the Year Scenic Blast is slated to resume his career in the $300,000 Group 2 Schweppes Stakes (1200m).
The Dan Morton-trained seven-year-old, winner of the Lightning Stakes-Newmarket Handicap double in 2009 before going on to claim the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, will be having his first start since returning to Perth following an unsuccessful five-start American campaign last year.
Scenic Blast joins Black Caviar’s stablemate Doubtful Jack, the Tony Vasil-trained Balavan and Here De Angels as the unbeaten mare’s competition in one of the feature support races on the Tatts Cox Plate Day card.
Here De Angels was runner-up to Black Caviar in one of the other five-horse events she has contested, last year’s Group 2 Australia Stakes, while she also accounted for four rivals in the 2009 Crockett Stakes.
Black Caviar – who will equal the career-best winning streaks of immortals Carbine and Bernborough if successful – will jump from barrier four in the event that is Race 5 on the nine-event card and will be run at 3.20pm.
TAB Sportsbet doesn’t think the daughter of Bel Esprit will have any trouble doing so, posted her a $1.04 favourite in its initial market. Scenic Blast is second favourite at $13.
The Schweppes Stakes is one of four Group 2 support races on the Moonee Valley card with one of the others, the $250,000 Drake International Cup (2500m), featuring an appearance by defending Emirates Melbourne Cup champion Americain.
The Alain de Royer Dupre-trained seven-year-old, who won last year’s Geelong Cup before going on to the claim the Melbourne Cup, shares the 58kg top weight with Kiwi raider Booming in Race 6 at 4pm.
Americain, who will be ridden by Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Gerald Mosse, has drawn barrier three in an event that also includes Caulfield Cup third placegetter Tullamore, the classy Linton, emerging stayer Shewan and German import Illo, who will be making his debut for Bart Cummings.
Caulfield Guineas runner-up Manawanui continues his AAMI Victoria Derby preparation via the $200,000 Mitchelton Wines Vase (2040m), where he looks poised to start a long-odds-on favourite after drawing barrier four of six.
Multiple Group 1 winner Danleigh heads the field for the $200,000 Drummond Golf Crystal Mile (1600m), which has attracted a quality field of milers.
Danleigh’s Chris Waller-trained stablemate Triple Elegance is also engaged, along with well-performed Kiwi gelding Ginga Dude, former Macau star Luen Yat Forever, Hong Kong visitor Silver Grecian and talented local Testa My Patience.
The Drummond Golf Crystal Mile precedes the day’s banner event – the Tatts Cox Plate – and will be run at 4.40pm.
Saturday’s card also includes a pair of $150,000 Group 3s, the 1300 Australia Stakes (1200m), which has attracted a slick field of three-year-olds, and the Trojan Hand Tools Stakes (1600m) for the mares, an event Lady Lynette will be out to win for the third straight year.
