The presence of super mare Black Caviar at Morphettville on Saturday will guarantee a 30,000 plus crowd but has greatly diminished the field size of Adelaide’s famous sprint.
More than 30,000 are expected to fill Morphettville to watch Black Caviar - photo © Steven Dowden
Morphettville will be bursting at the seams as it was when the undefeated queen of the turf stretched her winning sequence to twenty when she took out the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet Classic (1200m) ten days ago in a hand canter.
Black Caviar will be attempting to win her twenty-first straight victory in the Group 1 $500,000 The Distinctive Homes Goodwood (1200m) on Saturday before heading overseas to show off her brilliant sprinting ability at Royal Ascot.
Trainer Peter Moody will have the Australasian record holder for most consecutive wins primed for her mission at Royal Ascot in the Group 1 £500,000 The Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m) on June 23 and is ready to present her to the rest of the world.
Mark Kavanagh is one trainer who is prepared to line up against the great mare and will be sending Catapulted and We’re Gonna Rock around in the Goodwood which has only attracted nine runners.
“What do you do with those sorts of sprinters” Kavanagh asked.
“There’s not much left for them so they have to go around in a race like that on Saturday.”
Catapulted, who finished second in the Goodwood two years when favourite, disappointed Kavanagh last start when he could only beat two runners home to finish eleventh to Outlandish Lad in the Group 3 $115,000 evright.com DC McKay Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville on April 28.
And We’re Gonna Rock struggled to make up any ground in the McKay finishing sixth after scoring at his previous start in the Group 3 $115,000 R N Irwin Stakes at Morphettville on April 14.
“I don’t know what to make of that race,” Kavanagh conceded.
“Certainly both horses didn’t run like they normally do.”
“The inside of the track might have been questionable but I don’t know.”
Whatever happened last start won’t make any difference as they line up against the best sprinter in the world in Black Caviar who has drawn barrier eight in the small field.
Big race jockey Glen Boss will be the new rider for Catapulted who has drawn barrier two and Michael Rodd will be aboard We’re Gonna Rock out of gate 6.
The presence of Black Caviar has completely stifled betting with bookies posting the champ at $1.04.
The Mark Minervini trained Go The Knuckle is on the second line of betting at $19 with We’re Gonna Rock at $26 and Stirling Grove at $35.
Catapulted is marked at $41 which he shares with the Dennis O’Leary trained Outlandish Lad.
Mornington trainer Jason Warren decided to send Bel Sprinter to the spelling paddock and avoid a clash with Black Caviar in the Goodwood.
The Bel Esprit four year old failed to realise his potential in Group 1 company and after developing a bad habit of missing the start, Warren thought it was best to give the gelding a break.
“We just felt he needed to get to the paddock and freshen up,” Warren said.
“He has got into the habit of revving up before his races. That might have been a sign he was over the top in the Galaxy.”
“That was the only time he has really disappointed me. He was a bit basic over the last 200 metres in the Galaxy.”
“He is a young horse and is still not there mentally. The break will do him the world of good.”
Bel Sprinter felt the pressure of Group 1 company and after showing enormous ability in winning five of his first six starts was slow out of the gates in the $400,000 Sportingbet Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 25 when sixth to Woorim.
And last start lost all chance again at the jump when ninth to Temple Of Boom in the Group 1 $350,000 The James Boag Galaxy (1100m) at Randwick on April 21.
