I'm looking back through my racebook at the horses who have won the G1 CF Orr Stakes, a Weight for Age race over 1400m. The winner's list reads a little bit like a Who's Who of the Australian Turf. Past winners include Lord (twice), Wenona girl, Tobin Bronze (shame, they spelt his name incorrectly in the racebook!), Leilani, Surround, Manikato (3 times!!!), Vo Rogue (also 3 times), Let's Elope, Saintly, Redoute's Choice and Lonhro. And we can now add the name Black Caviar, or Nelly, or my Famous Pony, to this list.
It was Black Caviar's first attempt at a distance longer than 1200m. She was 2nd up, and attempting to extend her unbeaten sequence to 18, which would see her draw level with Ajax, and have her 1 win short of USA champion Zenyatta, and Australian horse Gloaming who raced in the 1920s. I get stupidly nervous before every single race, and Saturday was no different. But as usual, the Pony didn't let anyone down. She was just as explosive, and burst away from the field to win by her usual margin of 3 or 4 lengths, with Nolen really only shaking the reins at her once or twice. Her rival jockeys didn't set a fast pace so the time for the race was actually very slow, but she won with consumate ease. I suppose given the slow pace we don't have a definitive answer as to whether she would see out a strong 7 furlongs, or a mile, but she just won so easily that at this stage, there is NO reason to think that nothing is beyond her.
In a special moment for me, my nephew Jake, and his Dad Steve (my sister Caroline's boyfriend) came along for their first ever trip to the races. They have minded my children so many times and Jake has been displaying a growing interest in seeing Nelly race. I was so excited to have them come out, and I think I can say with complete certainty that Jake loved it. Jake is 11 years old, and therefore 10 months older than my son Heath. Heath and Jessica have met, and cuddled and fed Nelly, but they haven't seen her race. I am anxiously trying to figure out how this might be possible. Getting them to Melbourne is prohibitively expensive, and after so many return drives I cannot face another one so soon, so am clinging to the hope that Moody will bring the Pony to race in Sydney before she leaves for England and her ultimate mission, a race at Royal Ascot.
The Melbourne Race Club did a wonderful thing in throwing the gates open and give everyone free entry. It was great for the sport, great for the club and great for struggling families who might have found the entry fee difficult to cope with.. I always say that Caulfield is one of my very favourite tracks to photograph, and despite the fact that they slapped on us photographers those stupid and unsightly looking fluorescent vests that I despise wearing, Saturday made sure that Caulfield remains one of the best places to take photographs of great horses at!
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| My nephew Jake. He was so excited. I was so excited that he was there, and excited!!! My sister called it an Auntly Propaganda Campaign. Probably more than a little truth to that! |
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| Jake and his dad Steve. |
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| Nelly strides the mounting yard before the jockeys are called up |
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| Game on. Moody legs Nolen aboard.. |
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| Pretty in pink - Nelly heads to the barrier |
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| They give her such an ovation when she's on the track. |
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| Silly me for being nervous. She put paid to them in a twinkling of an eye... |
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| Rapturous applause greeted her |
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| Nelly is led back to scale by Donna Fisher and one of the part owners, Pam Hawkes. I love the way that they take turns in leading her in.. |
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| See the boy just to the right of the far right green bush wearing the orange shirt? That's Jake! |
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