Black Caviar Lights Up Randwick

Black Caviar lit up Royal Randwick on Saturday, taking her unbeaten streak to a perfect dozen and heading up a trio of stakes wins for Inglis graduates on the card.

Racegoers have long waited for the day Luke Nolen asked BLACK CAVIAR ($210,000 2008 Premier, 4m Bel Esprit-Helsinge) to fully extend and they were granted that wish today, as she set out after runaway leader Hay List.

Against the background of a roaring crowd, Black Caviar hit top gear and again raced away to win by more than two lengths.

Grand campaigner TRIPLE HONOUR ($50,000 2006 Classic, 6g Honours List-Myrrh) made a very pleasing return, running on to grab third.

Peter Moody will now look to extend Black Caviar’s campaign to Brisbane, chasing sixth and seventh Group 1 wins in the BTC Cup and Doomben 10,000.

The Rick Jamieson bred mare was very much the talk of the town at this week’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, with her Casino Prince half-brother topping the sale at $1,025,000.

Inglis graduates kicked off Derby day in fine style when ANISE ($600,000 2010 Easter, 2f General Nediym-Pimpinella) produced a powerful burst to land the Kindergarten Stakes.

Trainer Peter Snowden expressed surprise at how far the filly got back in the field, but was thrilled she finished off the way she did. Snowden has spring ambitions for the filly, who is now likely to be spelled.

Anise was sold by Willow Park and the daughter of General Nediym is the first foal to race from Flying Spur mare Pimpinella, a daughter of Twiglet, who also produced Hong Kong Champion Fairy King Prawn and Group 1 Salinger Stakes winner Easy Rocking.

A More Than Ready half-sister to Anise was sold for $300,000 at this week’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Rounding out the stakes treble, the Matt Smith trained HURTLE MYRTLE ($55,000 2008 Classic, 4m Dane Shadow-Ravenswood) rediscovered her best form to win the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes.

No horse has come closer to beating More Joyous in Sydney in the past two years than Hurtle Myrtle did in last year’s Group 2 Surround Stakes, where the margin was a mere half neck, so today's success was very much deserved.

Hurtle Myrtle was among the original entries for the 2011 Inglis Australian Easter Broodmare Sale, which begins on Tuesday.

Click here for the online catalogue.

The sale has a brilliant recent record of unearthing mares that later produce champions, with Black Caviar's dam Helsinge ($115,000 2005) a shining example.