English trainer James Fanshawe is not ready to concede to Black Caviar even though the unbeaten Australian sprinter is firming in the betting and is as short as 1-3 in some betting shops.
Black Caviar will take on the James Fanshawe-trained Society Rock in the Diamond Jubliee - photo © Taron Clarke
Fanshawe will saddle up Society Rock in the £500,000 The Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascoton June 23 searching for back to back wins in the Group 1 feature and is happy to take on the world’s best sprinter.
“Apparently Black Caviar is unbeatable,” Fanshawe said.
“But Society Rock has been at his best at the Royal meeting for the last two years and he seems very well, so we’ll just hope that he’s in the same sort of form this year.”
“Black Caviar has got tremendous pace, but we can’t make any plans or think about tactics until we get much closer to the race.”
“We’ll need to see where we’re drawn and how the ground is on the day, but I’m sure there will be a few more besides us that will be turning up and ready to take her on.”
Black Caviar has settled in well and worked at Newmarket on Tuesday and the final countdown has begun for her appearance at Royal Ascot where she will be attempting to win her twenty second straight victory.
Trainer Paul Perry who took Choisir to Royal Ascot in 2003 to win the King’s Stand – Golden Jubilee double has no doubt that Black Caviar will win when she steps out in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes on Saturday week.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better sprinter than Black Caviar,” Perry said.
“I think she would just win the Diamond Jubilee and win it with a leg in the air.”
“She handles the straight track and everything – it’s all in her favour.”
Perry also said that fellow Australia sprinter Ortensia will prove hard for the Europeans to beat when she lines up in the Group 1 £350,000 The King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) at Royal Ascot on June 19.
“Even Ortensia is in the right race for her, the King’s Stand. If she is in the form she was in when she won in Dubai you have to wonder how they will beat her, too,” Perry said.
“I’ve found horses love working up a hill,” he said. “Every track they train on has a bit of a rise on it.
“Both the mares love straight tracks and the uphill run at Royal Ascot won’t worry them. The rise is even steeper at Newmarket if they go there for the July Cup but, again, both mares are so strong at the end of their races.”
Perry said that the only thing that could beat Black Caviar is if she didn’t travel well but she has landed safely and been out on the course at Newmarket so that all looks fine with her.
“Really, the only thing that can beat Black Caviar is if she does not travel well or acclimatise well in England but everything seems to be going well with her,” Perry said.
“Black Caviar is such a big, placid thing and if any horse can handle the long trip and settle in over there it is her.”
One British Bookmaker has virtually conceded and framed a Golden Jubilee market without Black Caviar in the betting.
Wagering firm William Hill has posted an alternative set of odds without Black Caviar which has Bated Breath the 4-1 favourite.
But trainer Roger Charlton still hasn’t confirmed Bated Breath’s next start after winning first up over five furlongs at Haydock on May 26 and will have to decide between the King’s Stand Stakes or the Golden Jubilee Stakes.
