Black Caviar to Face 20 Ascot Rivals

Photo: Nigel French AP

Black Caviar will take on a maximum of 20 rivals in the Group I Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday.

Fellow Australian Ortensia, set first to run in the Group I King's Stand Stakes on Wednesday (EST), is set to oppose Black Caviar as the wonder mare bids to stretch her unbeaten record to 22 races.

James Fanshawe-trained Society Rock will bid to repeat his win in the race 12 months ago, while leading British sprinter Bated Breath and French raider Wizz Kid and Moonlight Cloud are also among the entries.

Champion trainer Aidan O'Brien has left in Crusade, Reply and After.

Dunaden and Red Cadeaux, who ran the 2011 Melbourne Cup quinella, may clash again in the Group II Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot 30 minutes before the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

Mikel Delzangles's Dunaden beat Ed Dunlop's Red Cadeaux by a nose in the Melbourne Cup, and confirmed his superiority in the Group I Hong Kong Vase in December.

The pair face plenty of competition among 18 entries, as John Gosden has confirmed the fast-improving Aiken, who beat Dunaden in the Grand Prix de Chantilly, and last year's St Leger winner Masked Marvel.

So You Think, meanwhile, is set to face 10 rivals as he bids to win his final start in Europe, the 150th Anniversary of Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on Thursday before heading back to Australia to take up stud duties.

The dual Cox Plate winner, formerly trained by Bart Cummings, suffered a shock loss at the hands of Rewilding in the 2000m showpiece 12 months ago.

So You Think, now trained in Ireland by Aidan O'Brien, registered his ninth Group I victory in the Tattersalls Gold Cup with a six-length romp at the Curragh in May.

Carlton House will race against him for The Queen, while Big Blue Kitten is a fascinating runner from the American stable of Chad Brown and 2011 French Derby winner Reliable Man will run for Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre.

Black Caviar a Few Furlongs To Fly

Black Caviar boarded a plane heading towards Britain on Wednesday afternoon for her hugely-anticipated appearance in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Peter Moody's mare has become one of the all-time greats in Australian racing after her remorseless rise through the sprinting division, and will be looking for her 22nd victory from as many starts on June 23.

Moody has taken no chances as Black Caviar makes her first overseas trip, fitting her with a special compression suit for a journey of more than 30 hours with several stopovers.

Racing Victoria's Twitter feed said: "Black Caviar has emerged from her float at Melb Airport decked out in her famous compression suit. UK here she comes!"

Adding: "Singapore Airlines SQ7297 about to taxi out with Black Caviar aboard. Cargo includes A380 engine and fruit & veggies! First stop Singapore."

Black Caviar should arrive at her quarters in Newmarket on Friday and will be accompanied by her vet, exercise rider and the stable foreman.

Such is her dominance, and lack of likely opposition, Coral make the colossal mare the 4-9 favourite to win, and just 6-1 to score by five lengths or more.

"Confirmed challengers to Black Caviar in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes look few and far between at this stage, and we can envisage her blowing the opposition away on her first start outside of Australia," said Coral's David Stevens.

"Sprinters from Down Under have proved their worth in Britain in recent years, but Black Caviar brings with her form that is far superior to the likes of Choisir, Takeover Target, Miss Andretti and Scenic Blast, and as far as we're concerned it's not if she wins, but a question of how far she wins by."

Another G'Day for Black Caviar

Australian sprinter Black Caviar stretched her record unbeaten run to 21 by winning the Group One Goodwood at Morphettville, Adelaide.

It was the five-year-old's final race before flying to England for June's Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Jockey Luke Nolen, who eased the mare to victory by more than a length, said: "We were never out of second gear."

Earlier in the week, trainer Peter Moody rejected claims that Black Caviar had to prove herself at Royal Ascot.

When it was suggested to him that his mare had not beaten any major international horses in Australia, Moody replied: "You have never seen anything like this horse before.

"It would be an absolute tragedy if she went there [to Ascot] and got beaten by your B-grade sprinters for half the prize money and [travelling] three-quarters of the way around the world."

Moody also warned that he would not run Black Caviar if she was not 100% fit following her flight to England.

"If I take her all the way over there and she is not right I won't run her for the sake of running," he said.

Black Caviar has been installed as favourite by bookmakers for the race, ahead of local sprinters Bated Breath and Hoof It.

The mare could also run at Newmarket on 14 July in the July Cup, another leg of the Global Sprint Challenge.

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Black Caviar Wins in Adelaide

Australian mare Black Caviar continued her build-up for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in June with a national record 20th consecutive win.

The five-year-old set the new mark over six furlongs in a Group One race at Morphettville, Adelaide.

Jockey Luke Nolen said: "We've got the best sprinters in the world here in Australia and she is the Queen of them, so Ascot holds no fears."

The Australian record was set by Desert Gold (1915-17) and Gloaming (1919-21).

Black Caviar is expected to race in the Goodwood Stakes at the same track in two weeks before flying to England to compete at Royal Ascot on 23 June.

"We haven't been on a plane with her before and it's a long way from home," Nolen added.

"But she's got a great constitution and a lovely nature to go with it, so I'm sure she'll cope with it fine.

"She's a mare who appreciates a straight track. Ascot is going to play right to her strengths."

Black Caviar has been installed as favourite by bookmakers for the race, ahead of local sprinters Bated Breath and Hoof It.

The mare could also run at Newmarket on 14 July in the July Cup, another leg of the Global Sprint Challenge.

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