Track rider Patrick Bell takes Black Caviar for a walk / Pic: Adam Taylor Source: The Daily Telegraph
SHE is the hottest ticket in town - and the proof is in the eBay prices.
Tomorrow's Sydney run of thoroughbred superstar Black Caviar has seen tickets to Randwick racecourse - normally selling for between $25 and $50 on Derby Day, depending on the area - auctioned off for more than three times their face value on internet sites such as eBay and Gumtree.
Last night one general admission ticket attracted a bid of $162.50 on eBay. Another seller was offering two marquee tickets for $600.
Black Caviar, unbeaten in 24 races, is the closest thing racing has ever seen to a certainty.
Tomorrow's race meeting, which many are calling "Black Caviar Day", has been sold out for weeks in anticipation of the champion's return to Sydney racing.
With the Randwick grandstand not due for completion until July, the course capacity is restricted to just over 26,000. The Australian Turf Club offered 300 general admission tickets at 9am yesterday - and they were snapped up within 60 seconds.
As Black Caviar mania swept the city in anticipation of tomorrow's race, the horse herself slipped quietly into Sydney yesterday, oblivious to the fuss. The mighty mare endured a 10-hour overnight float trip from Melbourne to arrive at her trainer Peter Moody's Rosehill stable early yesterday morning.
The world's best racehorse enjoyed a relaxing day, basking in Sydney's brilliant autumn sunshine and even taking a dip in the equine swimming pool in preparation for the $1 million TJ Smith Stakes.
Black Caviar, who won her only previous start in Sydney in the same event two years ago, will have a light workout at Rosehill before dawn today in preparation for the big race.
Trainer Peter Moody has challenged rival jockeys to have their best shot at trying to end Black Caviar's record winning streak.
"Plenty of them have ridden against her before and they're probably still using Vaseline to cover up the windburn," he said.
"Facts and figures suggest there's not another horse on the planet that can beat her under these conditions over this distance. We're always respectful of our opposition but we have the best gate (barrier one) and the best horse."
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