October
FebruaryRankings travesty
With Black Caviar’s breaking of more records in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington, immortality is all but secured.
Smashing the 25-year-old Flemington 1000-metre record leaves her with nothing to prove. Any critics that still exist have become irrelevant. She is a once-in-a-century phenomenon.
The fact that other trainers continue to dodge Black Caviar when planning their horses’ preparations only goes to show the awe in which she is held. Many of her records are unlikely to be beaten, for decades to come if not forever.
As she continues to smash record after record in the twilight of her career, Black Caviar is currently only rated the equal third-best racehorse in the world.
Her latest victory has again made a mockery of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities and their World Thoroughbred Rankings. To race undefeated year in, year out, and suffer the humiliation of a ratings reduction last calendar year was a travesty. Peter Moody’s thoughts on the issue are well documented.
The contempt with which Black Caviar’s and to a lesser extent, Ortensia’s, achievements were treated last year by the federation has become a blight on the sport.
It is quite clear there is a bias towards middle-distance and staying horses, which only goes further to prove that the ratings are compromised.
Ballan (Vic)