Moody oversees 21st Caviar victory

Peter Moody during his last trip to the UK – next month he will have the unbeaten queen of Australian racing to bring with him. Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

The remarkable Black Caviar made it 21 out of 21 with an effortless victory in the Group 1 Goodwood Handicap at Morphettville, Adelaide, in the early hours of this morning.

Having her final run before flying over to England for one of the key sprints in the QIPCO British Champions Series, the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday 23 June, the Peter Moody-trained queen of Australian racing never came off the bridle.

There was no early pace which allowed jockey Luke Nolen to hit the front at his leisure before turning into the straight.

With connections keen not to ask their star mare to overface herself with her biggest assignment to date looming large, Nolen kept a tight hold of her and, while the winning distance of just over a length was not as far as her fans have become accustomed to, there was never a moment of concern.

Moody said: "She’s run a similar time to what she did the other day and as long as she pulls up well we’ll be happy.

"I can’t really enjoy her races until they are over but she makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up like everyone and it’s good to get another one behind us.

"Everything has gone as expected, she’s where we want her so as long as she pleases us in the next three weeks she’ll be on the plane to England.

"There’ll be naysayers as she’s only won by a length and a half but we’re happy and as long as she’s happy it’s all systems go."

Nolen added: "We were never out of second gear."