Clash of the Titans. Round 4.

They are the two most talked about horses currently racing in Australia in the absence of the superstar So You Think, who's departure for Ireland left many of us wondering what could possibly fill the enormous void left by this magnificent thoroughbred.  And remarkably, they have exceeded even our wildest hopes.

I speak of course of the mare that is currently ranked the World's Greatest Racehorse, Black Caviar, and her great rival, Hay List.  And when I say 'most talked about currently racing', that takes into consideration that my other great favourite, and crowd favourite More Joyous is currently spelling, and the other darling of the turf, my pony Hot Danish, died last month, breaking too many hearts to count.  Talk is that Black Caviar may be trumped in the world rankings by the 3yo colt currently racing in England as Frankel.  But the champion mare is unbeaten, unsurpassed, and lining up to record her 13th victory from as many starts.  And opposing her, yet again, is the enormous gelding Hay List.

I have an interest in both of these horses.  Naturally partly because they are both such great racehorses.  But also because a valued client of mine, Eliza Park Stud, stands the sires of both horses, in Bel Esprit and Statue of Liberty.  The record from their 3 meetings currently reads Black Caviar 3, Hay List 0.  The mare has defeated Hay List (6th) by 11.4 lengths in the Group 1 Patinack Classic on 6 November 2010, 3.75 lengths (2nd) in the G1 Lightning Stakes on 19 February 2011, and most recently by 2.75 lengths (2nd) in the G1 TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick on 9 April 2011.  Hay List was 5 lengths clear of the 3rd placed Hinchinbrook in the TJ.  He subsequently came out and thumped the field, by around 3 lengths, in the G1 All Aged Stakes over 1400m on 23 April. 

Both horses are due to meet again on Saturday 14th May at Doomben Racecourse in the G1 BTC Cup over 1200m.  Looking at the fields it is not usually the sort of meeting that you would haul yourself all those kilometres up for.  But the presence of Black Caviar, and as an added little bonus, Hay List, makes it all worthwhile.  If you look at the respective margins, perhaps Hay List is getting closer to the mare, but the way she's run past him each race makes this irrelevant.  I'm a purist, and while I like the big gelding, my heart now belongs to the mare, so, yet again, here's to Girl Power this weekend!


Hay List wins the All Aged Stakes
 



Hay List - 2011 All Aged Stakes
Hay List's connections after the All Aged Stakes
Glen Boss after unsaddling Hay List in the All Aged.


Hay List
 

Hay List and Glen Boss return to scale after winning the All Aged
Hay List - full of running in the TJ Smith.  Then in a blink of an eye, the mare was upon him.  And then 3 lengths clear.  Winning easing up.


Black Caviar - TJ Smith
Black Caviar after the TJ,


Black Caviar before the Lightning Stakes

Black Caviar.  The horse stalls and parade ring at Randwick have seldom attracted so many people.
 

Black Caviar on her way to the barrier before the Lightning Stakes
Remarkable - victory in the Lightning.  Hay List (far left) runs on gamely for second, lengths behind the mare)





Black Caviar - Newmarket Handicap.
 




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Joyous Family

The Legacy of Eight Carat: From the Vault Volume I

The physical drain of riding horses