Black Caviar draws barrier one in T J Smith

Champion mare Black Caviar will jump from barrier one in the Group 1 $1m Darley T J Smith (1200m) only if the fine weather predicted for the rest of the week in Sydney can dry the Randwick track.

black caviar

Black Caviar aiming for her twenty-fifth straight win in the T J Smith. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Trainer Peter Moody has said all week that Black Caviar won’t run on a heavy track and with Randwick rated a heavy 8 this morning, the pressure is on the Bureau Of Meteorology  to be right with the forecast for the next four days.

“She certainly won’t be there on a heavy rated track,” Moody said.

“If it’s slow I’ll have a discussion with the owners, but I have reservations.”

“I’ll just approach it as if we are racing then assess it closer to the time.”

“We will probably go all the way to Saturday and see what it’s like.”

“At least the rain is falling now and not at the end of the week.”

“The weather is tipped to be fine on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, so we’ll worry about it then.”

Black Caviar is racing in the best form of her career according to Moody and will be shooting for her twenty-fifth straight win as well as her second T J Smith after winning the weight for age sprint two years ago beating Hay List in a memorable finish.

The T J Smith has attracted ten opponents for Black Caviar including old rival Hay List who was in doubt of running earlier in the week after putting in a below par gallop last Sunday at Wyong.

Hay List has drawn out wide at nine while last start Galaxy winner Bel Sprinter will be trying to jump cleanly from gate two.

Bel Sprinter has a bad reputation of missing the start and had to overcome another slow get away last start before scoring his initial Group 1 victory in the $350,000 Canterbury BMW Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on March 30.

Multiple Group 1 winner Sea Siren will strip fitter after finishing down the track when a first-up eighth to Bel Sprinter and trainer John O’Shea is expecting improvement from the four year old who has also drawn wide at ten.

Peter Snowden’s three year old Epaulette will be having his first run back in the T J Smith since finishing third to All Too Hard in the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 13.

The Commands colt was a Group 1 winner in the Spring scoring narrowly over stablemate Albrecht in the $1m Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 15.

One trainer hoping the wet weather sticks around is Joe Pride who will saddle up wet trackers Rain Affair (barrier 5), who finished second to Master Of Design last year and Title (3).

Both are fitter for one run from a spell with Rain Affair, unbeaten on slow and heavy tracks finishing fourth to Pierro in the Group 1 $350,000 Cellarbrations Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on March 23.

While Title, also with a great wet track record, was always well back when sixth to Bel Sprinter in the Galaxy.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.