Around Flemington racecourse stand tributes in statue form to Phar Lap, Bart Cummings, Makybe Diva and Roy Higgins.
The Victoria Racing Club on Thursday launched inside The Forum at Flemington a dedicated history of champion mare Black Caviar, despite her statue residing at Caulfield, in anticipation of Saturday’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m).
The installation, ‘The Perfect Run’, traces Black Caviar’s unblemished 25-start career with eight Flemington victories, from her initial run as a two-year-old in April 2009 to concluding in Randwick’s T J Smith four years after.
Trophies, memorabilia spanning her achievements, a photo array and brief histories of each of the 25 wins form the core of the exhibition.
At the ceremony were Black Caviar’s trainer Peter Moody, jockey Luke Nolen and owners, as the public exhibit prepares to open Saturday.
For Moody, guiding the mare through 25 undefeated races earning near $8 million proved both thrilling and terrifying.
“The last time she went on to a racetrack totally sound was her second or third start in a race,” Moody said.
“As Luke touched on earlier, it was more about relief (after every win) than enjoyment, which is sad when you have something that good.
I had wonder staff and wonderful people around me and it had to be, as you could not handle it by yourself and for me personally, and Luke personally, our families were a big part of it.
We didn’t cook and that didn’t feed onto the horse.”
Moody called it rewarding to race on after the post-June 2012 Royal Ascot Diamond Jubilee retirement considerations.
Announcement of retirement was deferred until after overseas excursions following Royal Ascot for the ownership and associates.
“We had basically retired her after Ascot, but everyone was heading off on their European vacations, and we were going to get together when everyone got home and announce her retirement,” Moody said.
“But to get her back for those three runs afterwards, that was something very special.”
Reflecting on Black Caviar greeting The Queen after Royal Ascot, Moody said it stood out as hugely significant.
“Everyone got invited to morning tea earlier in the week, except me, and I think they were all a bit toey about me meeting her on race day,” Moody said.
“Just to see her love of the horse and to see her come down into the enclosure, which I believe hadn’t happened before, and gave the horse a pat, was very special.
She was that buggered after the race, and we had Paddy (Bell) on one side and me on the other, and there were so many people in the yard that we were that worried someone might give her a smack on that big bum of hers.
I thought crikey, if she takes offence to it, we might take out The Queen here with Black Caviar.
I don’t know how she would have gone with 600 kilos running over the top of her. There might have been a change of Monarch and Charlie might have got the gig a few years earlier.
And we would have been really considered convicts then.”
Moody’s engaging memories reveal the mare’s storied path; supporters gearing up for the 2026 Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) can peruse racing betting markets now.
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