Caviar gives rivals 'windburn', Peter Moody says

TENSION between Sydney and Melbourne continued to soar yesterday after Peter Moody took a swipe at the local jockeys and trainers.

TENSION between Sydney and Melbourne continued to soar yesterday after Peter Moody took a swipe at the local jockeys and trainers who are hopeful of finally bringing down Black Caviar.

There is a real sense Black Caviar will be tested on Saturday at Randwick in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) after two soft wins south of the border.

Joe Pride, who saddles up Rain Affair and Title, claimed Black Caviar would have to "earn her pay cheque".

Sea Siren's trainer John O'Shea added it had been impossible to get a guide on how well Black Caviar had returned this campaign, given the lacklustre opposition she'd beaten.

But Moody hit back at the Sydney horsemen yesterday and said: "Everyone is downplaying the opposition she's met, and I hear a few fellow trainers are suggesting this is the best field she's ever met.

"I just wonder if they'll be in the paper on Sunday morning, if she (Black Caviar) wins again, saying she's still beat nothing."

Told the Sydney jockeys would show Black Caviar no love - a la More Joyous in the Queen Of The Turf last Saturday - Moody said: "I think plenty of them have ridden against her before and they're probably still using Vaseline to cover up their windburn."

Black Caviar won the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at the start of this preparation, then strolled to the simplest of victories in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m).

It was that last start win that really proved a talking point after some of the rival jockeys did their best to get out of the mare's way.

Black Caviar is the $1.10 favourite for the TJ Smith Stakes, with last start Galaxy winner Bel Sprinter and hulking sprinter Hay List, who has run second to the mighty mare in four Group 1s, the next best in betting at $15.

Moody said Black Caviar arrived at Rosehill before sunrise yesterday and it was impossible to fault her.

"I'll dare not say she's going better than she ever has, but she's going every bit as good as she ever has," Moody said before the start of the final day of the Australian Easter Yearling Sales.

"I'm always very respectful of opposition, I always have been, and I've never gone into a race thinking we're a good thing.

Peter Moody

"We don't make the bookies' prices, but facts and figures suggest there's not a horse on this planet that can beat her under these conditions and at this distance.

"Usually our biggest worry is misfortune, but 24 times we've been pretty lucky."

Moody, the knockabout Queenslander who would be a billionaire if given a dollar for every question he's answered about Black Caviar, was unsure what awaited after Saturday.

Queensland, South Australia and Royal Ascot were all options, while a spring campaign was also a possibility.

"She's terrific for our industry, she's terrific for sport in general," Moody said.

"The great thing about this horse is she puts racing on the front and back pages of newspapers, she's leading news stories and leading sport stories for all the right reasons.

"I'm not downplaying your careers (as journalists), but most of you make a living out of finding the negatives in a lot of things. She's at the forefront for all the right reasons, not just for racing but sport in general.

"She's put bums on seats for a long time now, and it's great for people to come out and enjoy her."