Racing: Confident Nolen has no doubts

Will Hay List (foreground) turn the tables on his nemesis? Photo / Getty Images

Jockey Luke Nolen is as confident as ever as unbeaten champion Black Caviar attempts to etch her name into the record books in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington today.

Nolen conceded the challenge of coming back from 1400m to 1000m in a week was unorthodox but he expected Black Caviar to adapt and win her second Lightning and 19th race in a row. "It is not holding any fears for us," he said.

Nolen said he was prepared for a harder and faster contest than last start in the CF Orr Stakes when Black Caviar strolled home, about four seconds outside the 1400m course record.

"I think the fact the Lightning is run up the straight is only going to play to her strengths," he said.

"She is effective around a corner but because she does take that big, long stride she's quite special to watch up the straight. She goes like a bomb.

"We are all expecting the Lightning to be run a lot quicker than her last few races but she can run sub-11 second sectionals for the best part of a race.

"She gets horses out of their comfort zone through the middle stages and because she can sustain it for an extended period of time she has them all off the bit before we get to the clock tower."

Nolen said the Orr Stakes didn't take a lot out of Black Caviar, likening it to a track gallop where she only had to quicken over the last 600m.

"She didn't have a tough run by any stretch," Nolen said.

Nolen welcomed another match against Hay List who has raced her four times for three seconds, including in last year's Lightning when 3 lengths behind Black Caviar.

"He's the only one who has really made her stretch in the TJ Smith in Sydney and the BTC Cup in Brisbane and he looked pretty good winning a couple of trials earlier this year," Nolen said.

"I have got a healthy respect for the horse but there is only one horse I will be worrying about and that is Black Caviar."

Nolen acknowledged the optimism of Hay List's owners the Davenport family, trainer John McNair and jockey Glyn Schofield but it doesn't faze him.

"They are bullish but you can't go into a race with a defeatist attitude, I suppose."

He said Hay List appeared as if he was "close enough to the mark but I am sure there is improvement in him whereas Black Caviar is pretty fit".

Nolen said trainer Peter Moody had always believed Black Caviar's best would be seen in her 5-year-old season and that she was ready to show it.

"She is probably fully developed now and being such a hulking mare probably needed that last couple of years to almost furnish completely.

"She is so big and strong she could do so much damage to herself when she let rip but a lot of those things are behind her now."

- AAP