'Caviar' owners walking on water
Black Caviar races clear of her rivals to win at Moonee Valley last month. The boom filly will have a much tougher assignment in the Danehill Stakes tomorrow.Photo: Getty Images
Patrick Bartley
September 4, 2009
FOR MORE than a decade, five families, some from Sydney and others from Melbourne, have gathered at Echuca for an annual water-skiing trip.
The tradition of enjoying summer at the popular town on the Murray River has gained momentum each year as the families expanded.
In recent years, apart from the water sports, the five couples have talked long and hard about one day racing a horse as a group.
They weren't interested in large or lavish syndicates, they just wanted a racehorse to provide their close-knit group with the joy of winning.
So they put Caulfield trainer Peter Moody on the case and after a time, Moody discovered the horse. He called businessman Neil Werrett with the news.
''Peter rang and missed Neil but I took the call and he explained that he'd found a fil
ly that would suit our needs,'' Gary Wilkie recalled this week.
''And I can still remember how really upbeat he was about a yearling by Bel Esprit that was being offered at the Melbourne sales … I could tell from Peter's voice that he was pretty keen on this filly.''
Moody said: ''Honestly, she was a cracking yearling. She just grabbed me the moment I saw her and I identified in her everything you want for a racehorse of the future.
''I was aware that $210,000 was a lot to pay but she was related to Magnus who I trained and at the time of the sale was going so well so this really balanced it up.''
Hours later and the water-skiing families had bought themselves a well-grown filly.
''Some of us have had horses before and we're never under any illusions that while you can get a good horse there's plenty of chances you'll get a slow one and there's nothing worse than paying up for an ordinary galloper,'' Wilkie said.
''But we had confidence in Peter and I think by having the five families involved it has just strengthened our friendship.''
Tomorrow, at Flemington, Black Caviar, touted as one of Australia's finest fillies and a winner of her three racecourse appearances, makes the quantum leap to be matched against colts in the group 2 $250,000 Danehill Stakes.
The momentum surrounding Black Caviar's future has some racing judges believing that the unbeaten filly could do what only one three-year-old filly - Surround - has ever done by winning the Cox Plate next month.
But according to Wilkie, while their trainer is understandably excited by Black Caviar's potential he's not being caught up in the euphoria surrounding the daughter of Bel Esprit.
''Her three wins have been good, very good, but each run is another step harder and all of us have tasted defeat and I'm sure that we'll be like everyone in racing that there'll be a day when she gets blocked for a run or, like she did last time, miss the start.
''Although anyone believing that it's a trait of hers would be wrong as the jockey Luke Nolen said that she was laying back on her haunches when the gates opened at Moonee Valley and that's why she was slow away.''
But Wilkie, apart from the dream of owning a potential champion, believes it has been a win-win for the five families that invested in her.
''Sure, it's exciting. It's great we're friends that have managed to get a good horse and we're entering the spring carnival but it's had a filtering-down effect on all the families involved,'' he said.
''The children and all of us that go to Echuca have a little share and they're just as excited as we are. In fact, tomorrow at Flemington we've got 33 of us getting together for lunch before Black Caviar makes her appearance in the Danehill.
''It's an understatement that we're glad that we acted upon all of those long discussions on summer nights about one day getting a racehorse and racing it as a group.''
Black Caviar, who seems destined for group 1 success, is already a black-type winner - a valuable part of the youngster's profile when she eventually goes to stud.
''She is valuable, just how valuable I don't know,'' Wilkie said, noting that it was difficult to predict what heights she would reach.
''Obviously some very good judges out there rate her highly and there's been some very, very large offers to purchase her or even purchase a share of her but at the end of the day we'd just like to keep the group together,'' he said.
''A few of us have had success with racehorses and we are vitally aware that every racehorse has its value and we're mindful that that figure may be reached.
''But at the same time we've even looked at one day breeding from her which would be another exciting concept - but a fair way down the track at this stage.''
Since Black Caviar's rise to such prominence, Wilkie and his partners have made inquiries about the filly's mother, Helsinge.
The mare raced with success but her full potential was never reached after she developed leg problems.
''She's got a lovely pedigree and a physical presence to go with it. Peter often comments on the scope and size of her. That's probably a great attribute with the races she may be tackling in the next 12 months,'' he said.
Wilkie and Werrett, after putting the group together, gave the usual warnings that she may not amount to much when her racing career commenced.
That fear, after three soft wins, has been dispelled but the two businessmen continue to reinforce the point that they are fortunate to have a very capable racehorse and to ''enjoy the ride''.
And that ride will continue tomorrow.
Hopefully for the water skiers it will be four victories from as many starts, which will ensure a summer to remember later this year.
The most impressive winner of the day at Geelong was Rebel Truce who in the words of the race caller, was twelve lengths from the leader on the turn and then went to the outside of the field and took off only to want to hang in up the straight. However this entire got it right and went away to win by one and a half lengths.
Group One winning mare Bel Mer has been retired following her disappointing performance at Caulfield last Saturday.
