Black Caviar retired after 25-unbeaten race career

BLACK Caviar, one of the most popular and successful horses in Australian racing history, has been retired after an unbeaten 25-race career.

Black Caviar

BLACK Caviar, one of the most popular and successful horses in Australian racing history, has been retired after an unbeaten 25-race career.

Trainer Peter Moody made the announcement, along with the horse's connections, today.

"We thought long and hard about racing on but believe she has done everything we asked of her and felt it was the right time to call time on her wonderful career,'' Moody said.

Black Caviar's racing career started at Flemington on April 18, 2009. It ends with $7,953,936 in the bank.

She has twice been crowned Australian Horse of the Year, bows out at the top of the world rankings and has 15 Group I wins.

The champion mare's unbeaten record was unequalled in more than 100 years.

Moody said Black Caviar would be taken to Caulfield on Saturday to give the Australian public a chance to farewell her.

Then she would "go to a farm, have a relax and a roll around in the mud''.

“She's in such great shape but that's always been the way we wanted her to bow out," Moody said.

"We just thought the time was right. The owners and myself have had a long chat for the past couple of days.

"Collectively we decided the mare's in great shape, we thought long and hard about racing at the international season."

The six-year-old was ridden by Luke Nolen in all except three starts, including her most recent win, the T.J. Smith Stakes last Saturday in Sydney.

"We decided 25 was a great number and she did us all proud on Saturday," Moody said.

"She has done everything she has been asked to do.''

Black Caviar captured the imagination of the sporting public, and attracted sell-out crowds at racetracks across the country.

"I know we've won 25 from 25 ... but I like to think we've done a great job promoting our sport," Moody said.

"She brought interest to our sport that hasn't been there for decades.

"Black Caviars don't come along every day.''

Moody said Black Caviar's 2013 campaign, which also netted wins in the Lightning Stakes and William Reid Stakes, had been a bonus after her Royal Ascot win last year took a heavy toll on the mare.

"We got three more runs than we thought we were ever going to have,'' he said. "We thought she would be retired post-Ascot.

"But we've been fortunate to bring her home here and I think the owners are to be congratulated on allowing me to race her on and give the Australian public three more opportunities to see her.''

Black Caviar will now begin a lucrative breeding career, with her foals potentially worth millions of dollars.

Senior part-owner Neil Werrett said no thought has been given to which stallion she will visit this spring.

"We've got a bit of time, but we'll start working it out tomorrow,'' he said.

"We hope that in three years, Peter Moody will be training a progeny of Black Caviar,'' said Werrett, his voice breaking at times during the retirement announcement.

Last week, her half-brother sold at auction for $5 million, $2m above estimates.