The champ is back with Black Caviar being eased into work under the careful guidance of Peter Clark at his property in Murchison.
It’s the beginning of a well worn routine that’s been used by trainer Peter Moody throughout the great mares career.
Moody places a huge amount of trust in Clark and his incredibly effective rehabilitation and pre-training facility.
It’s a system that’s worked faultlessly over the past couple of years so Moody won’t be making too many changes ahead of Black Caviar’s first up run in the Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley on January 27.
“It’s eight weeks from now,” Moody said.
“She came back into work on Monday and she’ll have a month on the water walker at Peter Clark’s property and then have a month with me.”
Black Caviar only spent three weeks in the spelling paddock but she certainly made the most of it, amazingly putting on 60kgs.
“It’s phenomenal how well she has done. She just couldn’t stay out any longer,” he said.
While it may make you feel better about the couple of kilos you put on over the Christmas period expect the super mare to be stripped down and ready to go by early January.
The Australia Stakes may not be until next year but tonight’s meeting at Moonee Valley will go a long way to determining which of Black Caviar’s stablemates join her with an autumn prep.
Moody has Turnitup in the 1600m Moreton Hire Handicap and Brambles in the 1600m Moonee Valley Premium Handicap.
Both horses are likely to be spelled regardless of tonight’s result but a win for Brambles would see him targeted for black type come autumn.
“It would be a good way to end his campaign. If he can win a $100,000 race, that will help him get into feature races,” Moody said.
“The beauty of bringing him back in the autumn is that I can set him for either the AJC Derby, the South Australian Derby or the Queensland Derby and be guided by him as to where he will go.”
Turnitup meanwhile is a proven group horse and down in grade he’s a huge hope to end his season on a high.
“He’s a Group winner and if he can add a $100,000 race, then he’ll be weighted out of everything over summer. A win would also help him into feature events,” Moody said.
