World champion Black Caviar is retired

Updated

Black Caviar's trainer Peter Moody has announced the champion mare has been retired after recording an unprecedented 25 wins from 25 starts.

Moody announced today that the owners of the great mare have decided against racing her on and will instead begin a breeding career where her foals could fetch millions if put up for sale.

"The owners and myself have had a long chats for the past couple of days [and] this afternoon at lunchtime we decided 25 was a great number," Moody said when he made the announcement at Caulfield racecourse.

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

"I think in our wisdom we thought, 'what else can we achieve?' We don't want to do anything wrong by the horse.

"She's been so wonderful for us and Australian racing. She's been a great shining light for our industry and my career [so] let's stop now before something can go haywire.

"She's done everything we asked her to do, she couldn't possibly have done any more.

"It's been a very proud thing for me to put racing at the forefront of the sports pages for all of the right reasons [and] I like to think we've done a good job promoting our sport.

"On the whole, it will be nice to sit back tonight and reflect back on her career.

"One of you blokes from the TV stations may send me a tape with those 25 wins on it so I can enjoy it for the rest of my life."

She's done everything we asked her to do, she couldn't possibly have done any more. Peter Moody, Black Caviar trainer

Saying goodbye

Black Caviar, who won just under $8 million in prize money, will be missed by racing fans, but Moody confirmed they would get the chance to say goodbye when she is paraded at Caulfield this Saturday.

"The owners thought it would be a great opportunity to give the public one last chance to say goodbye," Moody continued. "She's gonna embark on a new career.

"We've done our job, she's more than done hers, she's been a great advocate for the sport, so it's one last chance for the public and press alike to say goodbye and the she'll wander into the sunset."

Her win on Saturday in the TJ Smith Stakes on Saturday in front of a capacity crowd at Sydney's Randwick racecourse was her last hurrah.

Black Caviar's owners had been considering racing the six-year-old in either The Goodwood in Adelaide or the BTC Cup in Brisbane next month but today's message was clear.

Unbeatable mare

Foaled: August 18, 2006

Trainer: Peter Moody

Record: 25-0-0

Earnings: $7,948,936



Awards:

WTRR World Champion Sprinter (2010, 11, 12)

Australian Racehorse of the Year (2011, 12)

European Champion Sprinter (2012)

Australian Champion sprinter (2011, 2012)



Last three runs:

1st - TJ Smith Stakes, Randwick, NSW (1,200m)

1st - Lighting Stakes, Flemington, Victoria (1,000m)

1st - William Reid Stakes, Moonee Valley, Victoria (1,200m)

August 18, 2006Peter Moody25-0-0$7,948,936WTRR World Champion Sprinter (2010, 11, 12)Australian Racehorse of the Year (2011, 12)European Champion Sprinter (2012)Australian Champion sprinter (2011, 2012)1st - TJ Smith Stakes, Randwick, NSW (1,200m)1st - Lighting Stakes, Flemington, Victoria (1,000m)1st - William Reid Stakes, Moonee Valley, Victoria (1,200m)

Asked about what the future holds and the prospect of Frankel being Caviar's stallion, owner Neil Werrett said: "We've got a bit of time to decide. We'll start thinking about that probably from tomorrow.

"It was always going to be a harsh decision, [but] now she can retire and we can look forward to racing her progenie."

Mr Werrett also expressed his gratitude to Luke Nolen, Black Caviar's jockey for 22 out of her 25 wins.

"We'd like to thank Luke Nolen for doing a fantastic job," he said.

"It's not easy the pressure he goes through every week and on Saturday it was one of the great rides to get up and show the world how good she is."

Black Caviar's most dramatic win came at her only overseas start when last June she was nearly run down when Nolen eased up on her approaching the finish of the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Ascot.

The winning margin of 0.2 lengths was the shortest of her career and took its toll on the mare.

Moody thought Black Caviar might be headed for retirement after returning home from England but she was given an eight-month rest and returned to racing in February.

"We got three more runs out her than we thought we would," Moody explained.

"We thought she'd be retired post Ascot. I'm grateful to the owners for letting me race her for another season."

Black Caviar's feats on Australian racetracks are unsurpassed. Her latest victory at Randwick saw her eclipse the previous record of 14 Group One wins held by Kingston Town.

Topics: horse-racing, sport, melbourne-3000

First posted