The bog at Randwick Racecourse yesterday. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Daily Telegraph
THIS is the image Peter Moody and millions of Black Caviar fans did not want to see - a Royal Randwick covered in mud and giant puddles.
Moody has maintained Black Caviar's start No. 25 in Saturday's Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick will not eventuate if the track is a bog.
And he was not backing down from playing the party-pooper role as rain fell hard over Sydney until midway through yesterday afternoon.
Moody revealed Black Caviar will make the trip from Melbourne to Sydney regardless, and a decision on a start in the T.J. Smith made as late as race morning.
"At least the rain is falling now and not at the end of the week," Moody said. "The weather is tipped to be fine on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, so we'll worry about it then."
Some of the city's leading weather experts, including Tim Bailey, Sarah Cumming and Dick Whittaker, are predicting picture-perfect skies for what will be picture-perfect scenes should Black Caviar win the last race on Saturday.
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Even Premier Barry O'Farrell had Black Caviar fever, telling The Daily Telegraph yesterday: "The only thing better than a Black Caviar victory is if Sydney becomes known as the place Black Caviar was beaten - and hopefully by a horse with Jimmy Cassidy on its back."
There has been plenty of tough talk this week from the Sydney trainers, claiming Black Caviar will have to "earn her pay cheque", unlike the two soft wins in Melbourne.
Trainer John O'Shea, who will saddle up Sea Siren, said it had been difficult to get a gauge on how good Black Caviar had returned, especially given how poor her opposition were in the Lightning Stakes and William Reid Stakes.
"Only Peter (Moody) would know the answer to that," said O'Shea, who added Sea Siren would peak third and fourth-up in the BTC Cup and Doomben 10,000.
Moody welcomed the fresh challengers - just as he has on 24 previous occasions - and said: "We have respect for them all, as always.
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"She's now beaten 35 individual Group 1 winners, and they have to beat her. We're not talking s.. t saying that.
"She's beaten Golden Slipper winners, Cox Plate winners, Caulfield Cup winners, she's beaten them all. I'm respectful of that, and if they're not respectful of her, that's their issue."
Sydney saved its worst weather for Randwick yesterday as rain pelted down. Jockey Tommy Berry was one of the first onto the course proper with Sydney Cup hope Julienas, and said the track was a legitimate "slow seven".
"While it felt nice under foot, the track would have chopped up afterwards, but it was no worse than slow seven," Berry said.
Meanwhile, Hay List will gallop this morning at Gosford before John McNair makes a call on a start against Black Caviar.
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