We reported after Rain Affair’s Expressway Stakes win on Saturday that the Joe Pride trained runner was likely to be sent to Group 1 level at its next start.

That was hardly surprising given the ease of his four length victory at Caulfield but Pride dropped a bombshell later on when he revealed his desire to face Black Caviar.

Rain Affair is likely to be sent south to Melbourne for the Group 1 Futurity Stakes in a fortnight where Pride would love nothing more than to leave as Australia’s biggest villain.

“I don’t mind being the one being booed off the racecourse, it wouldn’t bother me,” Pride said.

It would be a huge ask though, Black Caviar showing no signs of any issues over the 1400m with an easy four length domination in the CF Orr Stakes.

Pride believes that margin is somewhat inflated though because Black Caviar is being given too much of a free pass from her rivals.

He pointed to the sluggish pace of the CF Orr Stakes on Saturday, the slowest time since Racer’s Edge in 1996 despite the track being in good condition.

“Black Caviar is fantastic for racing and I am 100 per cent behind everything that (Peter) Moody is doing for her,” he said.

“It is fantastic for the sport to have a mare taking racing to a different profile and opening it up to a wider audience but at the same time as a spectacle it (the C.F. Orr Stakes) was embarrassing. I thought it was a poor display from those around her.”

The only thing that could keep the showdown on ice is if Black Caviar backs up sooner than expected in the Lightning Stakes over 1000m at Flemington this Saturday.

Peter Moody said he will definitely accept for the race and if she pulls up well he has no problems with the quick turnaround.

“Everything has to be right. I’m keen to run her, but she has to be 110 per cent,” Moody said.

It would be a drastic change in program coming back to the 1000m after all the talk was on getting her out over ground this campaign.