Premier Victorian trainer Peter Moody may have another Black Caviar in the making with a stablemate of the world’s fastest horse, Highly Recommended, winning the same race on debut Black Caviar did two years previously.
Black Caviar whose stablemate Highly Recommended won on debut over the weekend
Freakishly talented Bel Esprit mare Black Caviar currently boasts a flawless record of 12 from 12 and the magic that has taken over the racing world all started with a stunning five length victory in the 2009 Cromwell Handicap (1000m) at Flemington in April of 2009.
Twenty-four months later Black Caviar is a five time Group 1 winner, a superstar of the Australian turf that has broken countless records, earned over $3 million in prize money and looks to be in no danger of slowing down.
Last Saturday Moody was pleased to see another runner from his stables also enjoy a promising start to their career, albeit not quite in the same five-length fashion as Black Caviar, as Fastnet Rock colt Highly Recommended took out this year’s edition of the now renamed Cromwell Handicap.
Now known as the Lort Smith Animal Hospital Handicap, the Flemington sprint was won by Highly Recommended who carted 58kg to a half-length win over Whitlam.
“We knew he had this kind of ability but we didn’t think we would see it for another run or two or even in the spring,” Moody’s racing manager Jeff O’Connor said.
“He had a little hiccup five or six months ago, just developing and growing, and it probably cost him any chance of winning any big two-year-old races.”
Purchased as a yearling at the Sydney Easter Sales for $235,000, Highly Recommended is a full brother to quality sprinter Undeniably, a half-brother to Moody’s 2004 Group 1 Emirates Stakes winner Sky Cuddle and is being tipped for Group 1 glory himself already.
“He has got a big future and we have had a lot of success with the family with Sky Cuddle and Sky Love (Group 3 Christmas Handicap winner), so hopefully this bloke will keep it going for years to come,” O’Connor continued.
While Highly Recommended’s sensational stablemate Black Caviar is likely off to Brisbane to chase her sixth Group 1 victory in the BTC Cup on May 14, immediate plans for the colt are not yet confirmed.
“I’m not sure if he will go to Brisbane now or wait and look at the spring,” O’Connor said.
“We might get something more out of him now because he needs to keep learning.”
On Saturday Highly Recommended was ridden by jockey Noel Callow, the win Callow’s first since he resumed riding in Victoria five weeks ago following a two-year stint in Malaysia.
