It seems the key to keeping outstanding mare Black Caviar in form ahead of her Brisbane debut Saturday week is swimming, if her exercise routine yesterday is to go buy.
Black Caviar is preparing for her Queensland debut in Saturday week's BTC Cup
After slipping silently via float into Queensland on Sunday, Peter Moody’s sprint queen Black Caviar enjoyed her first workout at Eagle Farm yesterday morning.
The unbeaten Bel Esprit four-year-old is preparing to keep her flawless record intact next Saturday in the $400,000 Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben.
By then it will have been five weeks between runs for the first Aussie horse to hit the top of the World Rankings earlier this year.
At her most recent run Black Caviar became a five-time Group 1 winner and the first mare in Australian racing history to enjoy five elite level victories in succession when she blitzed her rivals by three lengths at her Sydney debut in the $1 million Darley TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).
Yesterday at the crack of dawn Moody’s work rider Pat Bell woke Caviar up at 3:30am to give her some light work on the dirt at Eagle Farm before cooling off with a couple of quick laps in the equine pool.
With the pool at Eagle Farm just a five-minute stroll from the purpose-built stable Black Caviar will call home throughout her Brisbane Winter Carnival campaign, there was time later in the afternoon for the champion to be taken out for another swim.
Also given plenty of down time to rest, at 2pm Black Caviar returned for two more laps to keep her mighty muscles toned.
“The set-up here is very similar to what she has at home at Caulfield in Melbourne,” Moody said.
“We stable on the track and only have to walk 50 metres to the pool.
“She loves her swims.”
With only eight days left before Black Caviar brings her magic to a ‘full-house’ of eager racing fans at Doomben, Moody plans to ask a little more out of his ace asset leading up to the BTC Cup.
“She will do some strong exercise on Saturday and Tuesday,” Moody said.
“It will be five weeks between races by the time she gets to the BTC Cup.”
With 16 first acceptors for the BTC Cup, more than expected considering the monumental task of taking on Black Caviar, odds on the favourite have now firmed into $1.15 for Caviar to make it 13 wins from as many starts.
