Horse Racing

Early nominations for all the Brisbane Winter Carnival Group 1 features have now been taken with Peter Moody’s magnificent Melbourne mare Black Caviar topping the list of entries for the Doomben 10,000.

Black Caviar is out to emulate her father Bel Esprit in winning the Doomben 10,000

Four-year-old Black Caviar is the first horse in Australian racing to win their opening 12 starts consecutively on metro tracks and next month she will be out to add to this impressive record having been nominated for three of the Brisbane Carnival showdowns.

After headlining the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) on May 14, Black Caviar is then set to contest the $650,000 Group 1 Doomben 10,000 and race over 1350m for the first time.

Black Caviar is by the stallion Bel Esprit who won the 2003 Doomben 10,000.

Moody has also nominated his superstar sprinter for the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in June, although Black Caviar is an unlikely runner in the $1 million gallop.

The connections of 71 other horses have taken up the Black Caviar challenge, nominating their winter hopefuls for this year’s Doomben 10,000.

Among the possible competitors are the likes of her long-time rival and last start All Aged Stakes champion Hay List, last year’s Golden Slipper winning filly Crystal Lily who has twice placed second to Black Caviar and classy Redoute’s Choice mare Melito.

Leading Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse has nominated two of her stable runners as she looks for a Group 1 win in Brisbane this year with Tale Of The Cat gelding Pureness and the Group 1 placed Not A Single Doubt colt Squamosa.

Lightly-raced three-year-old Squamosa hasn’t raced since finishing a neck away second to Toorak Toff in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) last August.

Squamosa is set to trial on Friday at Canterbury ahead of their much awaited return to the track after missing the entire Melbourne and Sydney autumn carnivals due to a knocked fetlock.

“He trials on Friday at Canterbury and he is going great guns,” Denise Martin from Star Thoroughbreds syndications said.

“We’re hoping to find one of the Group Ones in Brisbane for him.

“Whether he goes first-up into a Group One I’m not sure, he trials on Friday and again in two weeks time before he will resume.

“We’re looking for that Group One win with him.

“A Group One second was great, but we want a Group One win now.”

The horse that beat Squamosa in last year’s Golden Rose, Toorak Toff is also nominated for the Doomben 10,000.

Prepared by Rick Hore-Lacy, three-year-old Show A Heart colt Toorak Toff is set to make their comeback in Adelaide first racing in the Group 1 The Goodwood on Sunday, May 8.

Toorak Toff is rated a $17 outsider in The Goodwood betting with Hay List the firm $2 favourite.

Queensland horses leading the local contingent for the Doomben 10,000 include the Gillian Heinrich-trained Bel Esprit colt Audacious Spirit and stablemate Military Rose who won the Magic Millions Classic as a two-year-old, Sue Grills’ Johannesburg gelding Border Rebel, Bribie Handicap winner Azzaland and the Roger Milne-trained Toowoomba galloper Captain Sonador.

Premier Brisbane-based trainer Robert Heathcote also boasts a strong crop in the Doomben 10,000 nominees having entered promising Mossman three-year-old and Group winner Buffering, Show A Heart five-year-old Woorim and Work The Room.

Heathcote remains confident his runners can bring some credible competition Black Caviar’s way in the Doomben 10,000, but concedes he is likely racing for second.

“I’m quite happy to have a run for second money,” Heathcote said.

2011 Carlton Mid Doomben 10,000 Nominations