Champion mare Black Caviar honoured in new Flemington exhibit

Flemington racecourse features sculptures of legends like Phar Lap, Bart Cummings, Makybe Diva and Roy Higgins positioned around the iconic venue.

A statue for Black Caviar stands at Caulfield, but on Thursday the Victoria Racing Club introduced a thorough retrospective of the superstar mare within The Forum at Flemington, prior to Saturday's Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m).

'The Perfect Run' is the name of the display chronicling Black Caviar's perfect 25-for-25 record, including eight wins at Flemington, her starting point as a two-year-old back in April 2009 and finale in the T J Smith at Randwick years later.

Among the exhibition's highlights are a selection of awards and keepsakes from her racing days, alongside a series of images and succinct tales of every one of her 25 conquests.

The unveiling saw attendance from trainer Peter Moody, rider Luke Nolen and the mare's ownership team, with public access beginning Saturday.

Handling Black Caviar over her 25 flawless starts, which netted close to $8 million, was for Moody an extraordinary but daunting adventure.

"The last time she went on to a racetrack totally sound was her second or third start in a race," Moody said.

"As Luke touched on earlier, it was more about relief (after every win) than enjoyment, which is sad when you have something that good.

I had wonder staff and wonderful people around me and it had to be, as you could not handle it by yourself and for me personally, and Luke personally, our families were a big part of it.

We didn't cook and that didn't feed onto the horse."

Returning to victory after contemplating retirement following the June 2012 Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot was particularly poignant for Moody.

Black Caviar's retirement was to be formalised after the group came back from international travels post-Royal Ascot.

"We had basically retired her after Ascot, but everyone was heading off on their European vacations, and we were going to get together when everyone got home and announce her retirement," Moody said.

"But to get her back for those three runs afterwards, that was something very special."

The trainer reminisced about Black Caviar's post-race meeting with The Queen at Royal Ascot, deeming it exceptionally memorable for the group.

"Everyone got invited to morning tea earlier in the week, except me, and I think they were all a bit toey about me meeting her on race day," Moody said.

"Just to see her love of the horse and to see her come down into the enclosure, which I believe hadn't happened before, and gave the horse a pat, was very special.

She was that buggered after the race, and we had Paddy (Bell) on one side and me on the other, and there were so many people in the yard that we were that worried someone might give her a smack on that big bum of hers.

I thought crikey, if she takes offence to it, we might take out The Queen here with Black Caviar.

I don't know how she would have gone with 600 kilos running over the top of her. There might have been a change of Monarch and Charlie might have got the gig a few years earlier.

And we would have been really considered convicts then."

These vivid stories from Moody capture the highs and stresses of Black Caviar's era; for the upcoming Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m), dive into online bookmakers to place your wagers.

The post Black Caviar exhibition unveiled at Flemington first appeared on Just Horse Racing.