Racing: Black Caviar to keep tabs on Hay List

Hardy wet-tracker Montjee (left) resumes at Arawa Park tomorrow. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

It's why bookmakers get around in better cars than punters - there are no certainties in horse racing.

Trainer Peter Moody yesterday admitted that even he has felt one of those moments around the world's best racehorse, the invincible Black Caviar.

Those moments when the words "Oh, no" arrive involuntarily.

Moody declared that "for a fleeting second" he had a hollow feeling, when Black Caviar was trailing arch-rival Hay List by four lengths in the Randwick home straight in the TJ Smith victory last start.

"He's a top horse and even I had a sneaky doubt for a second that she might not be able to pick him up from that far back."

Which is why Moody says that for tomorrow's A$400,000 BTC Cup at Doomben Black Caviar will become a "stalker, not a tracker" in her bid to make it 13 from 13 in a remarkable career. "We can't afford to take a chance of letting him [Hay List] get a decent break on her before that short home straight.

"She will be stalking all the way."

Which shouldn't be a problem for Black Caviar, even though she has yet to race at Doomben.

Moody had raceday jockey Luke Nolen fly up to Brisbane from Melbourne on Tuesday to give him his thoughts on how the mare was during her final hit-out at speed.

"The bends at Doomben have a nice camber and she handled them well," said Nolen.

Black Caviar had a busy time leading up to the TJ Smith, that race being her third start in four weeks, and Moody says he's delighted to have been able this time to give the mare a month between runs.

"Her work this week has shown she's got the freshness back in her head and her legs."

Yesterday, Black Caviar was quoted by bookmakers at $1.16.

In an effort to drum up business because of the one-sided race, bookies are offering odds on whether Black Caviar can extend her unbeaten record from 13 if she wins tomorrow to the 19 straight victories American champion mare Zenyatta compiled before being unluckily beaten in her final raceday appearance.

Centrebet will give you $3.50 if Black Caviar achieves that and $1.30 if she comes up short.

You can get $2.60 about Black Caviar matching the 17 straight wins by Hong Kong sprinter Silent Witness and $1.50 if she fails.

The club is expecting 20,000 at Doomben tomorrow, considerably more than the near-sellout attendance that farewelled the local favourite Gunsynd in 1973.

Brisbane weather continues to be fine and a near-perfect track can be expected.

Not so lucky are the local Rotorua and New Plymouth meetings tomorrow.

Rotorua, very heavy for the first day last last Saturday, was saturated by 50mm of rain on Wednesday night and more is forecast for tonight.

The track was yesterday officially a heavy 11 and New Plymouth, which saw 20mm on Wednesday night, a heavy 10.

Shez Sinsational is going around at New Plymouth in what will be her final lead-up to the Queensland Oaks on June 4.

She takes on six opponents in the Energy City Ford Open (2000m) and although facing older horses, she should prove difficult to handle, particularly as she is carrying only half a kilo above the minimum.

Under-rated performer Spare A Fortune heads the handicap on 59kg for the open-class First Certified Gold Cup, the first leg of the $50,000 Pick6 at Rotorua.

One well worth watching in the race with a view to upcoming winter middle-distance handicaps is Matamata gelding Montjee, who is resuming.

He relishes the heaviest of footing but will probably find tomorrow's 1580m too short. He is an outside trifecta chance.