Karuta Queen produced a commanding victory in the Listed Heritage Stakes
Last week we reported that should Karuta Queen win the Heritage Stakes across 1100m at Rosehill on the weekend that trainer Neville Layt may attempt the impossible and take on Black Caviar.
True to his word after a commanding victory in the Listed event Layt confirmed that his filly will be sent south to Melbourne for her toughest ask yet in an already ambitious career.
“I might be getting a bit keen but we will go down and run against Black Caviar next,” Layt said.
“Karuta Queen will have nothing on her back and it is 1000m around Caulfield. She would fly around that course.
“We all know Black Caviar is the best there is but if Karuta Queen can run second to her, I’d be a happy and proud man.”
Layt isn’t one to shy away from a challenge with the three year old, last season she won the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast before completing an arduous prep extending all the way to the Golden Slipper.
She’ll face Black caviar in Schillaci Stakes on October 8th where she’ll have just 51kg compared to the 56.5kg on the returning superstar mare.
The move has the full support of jockey Tommy Berry who says while beating her may be task he simply cannot achieve, to simply compete against her would be a dream come true.
“Black Caviar is the best in the world and more than likely she is going to beat Karuta Queen,” Berry said.
“But when you run the sort of times Karuta Queen can over 1000m, only Black Caviar could get past her.”
Karuta Queen had all the favours form her outside draw in the Heritage Stakes, easily coming across to take up the lead in the early stages.
Al’s Magic Miss went with her for a while but coming off the turn Berry gave her a bit and she simply skipped away.
She was pulled up over the final 50m but still got home by two and a half lengths with Al’s Magic Miss dead heating with Hollyweird for second spot.
Karuta Queen finished in a time of 1min 2.97sec, a race record for the event with a final 600m sectional of 33.38sec.
She also wasn’t far off the course record time as a whole with 1:2.51 the time posted by Westicaro in 2007.
Layt said the horse was over the hill by the time he got to the Golden Slipper last year and her true ability should be measured off her earlier runs.
“Her main aim last season was the Magic Millions so when she came to the Golden Slipper, she had already had her grand final,” Layt said.
“I knew she would be back again.”
