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Black Caviar’s family still providing champagne moments for lucky part-owner Neil Werrett

Black Caviar, the mighty mare who will soon be elevated to Hall of Fame Legend status, remains a huge influence on part-owner Neil Werrett’s life … particularly through her direct descendants.

Ray Thomas
6 min read
July 4, 2025 - 10:30AM

Black Caviar, the mighty mare who will soon be elevated to Hall of Fame Legend status, remains a huge influence on part-owner Neil Werrett’s life.

Werrett races Semillion, a close relation to Black Caviar, who lines up in the Foundation Female Member Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

He also owns boom colt Nepotism, winner of the Group 1 Champagne Stakes earlier this season and a direct relative of Black Caviar.

Champion Black Caviar, the unbeaten winner of 25 races including 15 at Group 1 level, will be announced as a Legend along with another great mare Winx at the Hall of Fame-Horse of the Year ceremony in Brisbane on August 31.

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“When you look at the three other horses that are already Legends, Phar Lap, Carbine and Makybe Diva, and the fact Black Caviar and Winx will join them, it’s the biggest honour you can give a racehorse,’’ Werrett said.

“All the owners of Black Caviar are so thrilled and so excited she is being recognised in this way and we are looking forward to the ceremony.

“Black Caviar has been an amazing mare for us and even though we lost her last August she continues to influence our lives almost every day.’’

• Ray & Shayno’s race-by-race tips, analysis for Rosehill Gardens on Saturday

Werrett said he got another reminder of Black Caviar’s fame when he attended England’s prestigious Royal Ascot carnival last month.

“We were walking into Royal Ascot on the first day and near the entrance was this big poster of Black Caviar when she won the Diamond Jubilee Stakes there in 2012,’’ Werrett said.

“It’s the first thing we saw when we got to the track and for our mare to be on that poster was quite special.

“There’s also a Black Caviar Bar at Royal Ascot and we made sure we had a drink at that bar to honour her memory.’’

Black Caviar owners Col and Jannene Madden (left) and Neil and Lena Werrett (right) got a timely reminder of the great mare’s most famous victory when they attended the Royal Ascot carnival this year. Picture: Supplied
Black Caviar owners Col and Jannene Madden (left) and Neil and Lena Werrett (right) got a timely reminder of the great mare’s most famous victory when they attended the Royal Ascot carnival this year. Picture: Supplied

• Clinton Payne’s race-by-race tips, analysis for Rosehill Gardens on Saturday

Semillion, trained by Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes, is no Black Caviar but he’s a dual stakes winner of the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes and Listed Takeover Target Stakes and has earned more than $800,000 prizemoney.

The rising six-year-old gelding finished only eighth when resuming at Canterbury a month ago but the likelihood of a soft-heavy Rosehill track surface is in his favour.

“We feel Semillion can run well,’’ Werrett said.

“He will love the wet track and he is very capable on his day. If he gets a good run I expect he will go close.’’

• Rosehill Turf Talk: Best bet gets a key gear change, plus a $71 tip

Werrett also provided an update on Nepotism, a leading contender for Champion Two-year-old honours at the Brisbane awards next month after his three-start juvenile campaign that yielded wins in the Group 3 Baillieu Handicap and Group 1 Champagne Stakes.

“I’m hoping Nepotism can beat (close friend) Max Whitby’s horse, Cool Archie, for the two-year-old award,’’ Werrett said.

“But I would imagine those two might end up clashing a few times as three-year-olds.

“I know the Hawkes team think a lot of Nepotism, he’s a very exciting horse and my big hope for the spring carnival.’’

• Racing Confidential: J-Mac unlikely to ride again this season

Werrett and the Hawkes stable was also combining with consistent mare Terrestar in the Leilani Series Final (1400m) at Flemington, and the owner is in the syndicate that races the Chris Waller-trained mare Vienna Princess who starts in the Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast.

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First starter’s nod to Villiers winner

Caesar, a two-year-old first starter in the Thank You ATC Members Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill, will be a name familiar with turf historians.

The late Tommy Smith trained a gelding named Caesar who won the 1958 Villiers (now The Ingham) Stakes then returned in 1959 to dominate at weight-for-age, winning the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Chipping Norton (now Verry Elleegant) Stakes, Autumn Stakes and PJ O’Shea Stakes.

Leading owner syndicator James Harron, who purchased the modern-day Caesar for $800,000 at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale last year, admitted he wasn’t aware of the former topliner of the same name but will be hoping his colt can forge his own reputation on the racetrack.

Trainer Peter Snowden has had to wait for the final month of the season to get Caesar to the races but the chestnut colt by Golden Slipper winner Capitalist has been impressive winning successive barrier trials at Randwick and Rosehill in recent weeks.

“We have a very good opinion of Caesar, we like him a lot,’’ Harron said.

“He’s a lovely big strong horse and we are planning only a light preparation for now and then we will give him a little break with the idea he might measure up to some nice races at the back end of the spring.’’

Harron and Snowden combined with another two-year-old by Capitalist, the emerging Gambler, to win at Hawkesbury on Thursday.

• Shayne O’Cass’s race-by-race tips, analysis for Rosehill Gardens on Saturday

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Maher still building on national prizemoney record

Trainer Ciaron Maher. Picture: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images
Trainer Ciaron Maher. Picture: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images

Champion trainer Ciaron Maher can smash the 300-win barrier for this season on Saturday.

Maher has prepared 293.5 winners for far in 2024/25 and will retain his Australian Trainer Premiership. His stable runners have earned $58.2 million and counting, which is already a national record.

For Finals Day at Flemington, Maher has a particularly strong entry with 13 starters across eight races including boom unbeaten filly She’s An Artist, the $1.60 favourite for the Listed $175,000 Creswick Stakes (1200m).

The Maher stable also has strong chances at Rosehill Gardens including Hi Dubai ($3.90 equal favourite) in the Captivant At Kia Ora Handicap (1100m) and the exciting Sacred Rocks ($4.80) in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1400m).

Maher will be represented by $2.90 favourite Warnie in the Listed $300,000 Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) on the Sunshine Coast plus he has stable has runners at Wyong and Wangaratta.

• Berry confident in Welwal’s wet track advantage

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Drying track welcome news at Rosehill

The Rosehill track surface rating has improved to a heavy 8 on the eve of the Winter Stakes meeting on Saturday.

There is even a likelihood of an upgrade into the slow range on raceday, which is welcome but unexpected news given the wild winter weather which swamped Sydney during the week.

Rosehill received more than 70mm of rain earlier this week and the track was rated a heavy 10 on Tuesday.

But a combination of strong winds and sunshine in the last two days has resulted in the improving track rating.

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5 YEARS AGO
Noble Boy, brilliant winner of the 2019 Country Championships Final, returned to the winner’s list for trainer Clare Collett and her jockey husband, Jason, when he won the Listed Winter Stakes from Taikomochi at Rosehill. Krone, trained by Tony Gollan, won the Glasshouse Handicap at Sunshine Coast. The following year, Krone won the Group 1 Coolmore Classic. Wapiti won the Winx (formerly Sunshine Coast) Guineas but there was no Caloundra City Cup that year due to the Covid pandemic. Sirrconi, trained by Nick Ryan, won the Winter Championships Final at Flemington.

10 YEARS AGO
Winx began her phenomenal sequence of 33 consecutive wins when she came from last to score a sensational win in the Sunshine Coast Guineas. This started her incredible four-year unbeaten run that culminated with her 2019 Queen Elizabeth Stakes win at Royal Randwick to close out her career. Winx won a world record 25 Group 1 races and is recognised as one of the all-time great racehorses. Chris Waller trained a feature race double with Index Linked winning the Caloundra City Cup while Riva De Lago won the Glasshouse Handicap. At Rosehill, the Waller-trained Rugged Cross took out the Winter Stakes. It was Waller again at Flemington with Amovatio winning the Winter Championships Final.

20 YEARS AGO
Carael Boy, trained by Bob Milligan and ridden by a youthful Zac Purton, won the Winter Stakes convincingly from Wild Queen. Tough New Zealand stayer Empyreal, trained by Peter McKenzie, won the Caloundra City Cup. He returned the following year to win the race again and remains the only dual Caloundra City Cup winner this century. Top Marc, trained by Kelly Schweida, won the Glasshouse Handicap. The David Bourne-trained Salsa won the Winter Championships Final.

Originally published as Black Caviar’s family still providing champagne moments for lucky part-owner Neil Werrett

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Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/black-caviars-family-still-providing-champagne-moments-for-lucky-partowner-neil-werrett/news-story/93f6cda0b452941e46c365835af40798