Victorian trainer Peter Moody returns to Royal Ascot in memory of Black Caviar, now with Chain of Lightning for the same Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
“It is quite extraordinary that it was 12 years ago, and when I go out the back I can pat her four-year-old son and two-year-old daughter.”’ said Peter Moody on Black Caviar.
“I suppose it does hit hard for me every now and again!” for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes of 6-furlongs is the race he won in 2012 with champion racemare Black Caviar.
“I have a lot of good memories after the race, although beforehand it was quite hard with all the expectation,” Peter reflects, ‘because I had been over a couple of times before.”
“It was nice to get that success, but we were gutted a year earlier when we brought Hinchinbrook and he went amiss on the eve of the race, and now Chain Of Lightning fits the mould.”
In fact, Australian have had seven wins in total at Royal Ascot across the now King Charles III Stakes, formerly the King’s Stand Stakes, and the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
“Chain Of Lightning is in good order, as she ran at Randwick 10 days ago on a very heavy track and did not handle it, but she has come through the race well,” continued Peter Moody.
“The plan of attack with her at the moment is a little unique, as she will have her next, and probably only lead up run, between now and Ascot in the Doomben 10,000 on 18 May.”
“She will head to the broodmare sale on 24 May, so it depends on who owns her afterwards and if still in my care, it would be my intention to travel over for Royal Ascot on 5 June.”
“She is a strong, robust mare, who is pretty bombproof, and although not as big as Black Caviar there is certainly plenty of size and strength about her, but not in the Black Caviar class.”
“She does appreciate a little bit of cut in the ground, but her form in recent seasons has been curtailed by very firm tracks, being firm by our standards is very firm by UK standards.
“I think she will appreciate the surface at Ascot, and she is very good over 7-furlongs, which is what you need to win over the 1200m there, and she can be competitive anywhere.”
However, what World Best Racehorse ranking now for Chain of Lightning on winning the TJ Smith Stakes of 1200m at The Championships, that would have been the World’s Top Sprint.
With the 120 ranked WTR Leading Sprinter Private Eye scratched from the TJ Smith, it was victory for Chain of Lightning with 119 WTR Sprinters Wish I Win and Imperatriz in third and fourth.
So what WTR Ranking for Chain of Lightning with the May figures soon to be released, and what for victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, with her record now at 8 from 22 starts and $2.6m.
Home-bred by Ramsey Pastoral, Chain of Lightning is a 5yo mare by stakes winner Fighting Sun, from the winning Perugino mare Magic Art, the family of Racing To Win and Classique Legend.
The Henry Dwyer trained 5yo sprinting mare Asfoora has already arrived in Newmarket ahead of the King Charles III Stakes, and is to run in the Temple Stakes at Haydock Park on 25 May.
In being a dual Gr2 winner at Caulfield, she has twice finished second at Gr1 level most notably to Imperatriz in the AJ Moir Stakes, and sired by Flying Artie her last three wins were at 1100m.
Prizemoney at Royal Ascot is now a record £10 million, A$19m, with all eight Group 1 races a minimum of £650,000, A$1.2m, and no race less than £110,000, A$210,000, which has also already attracted Big Rock and Facteur Cheval from France, US challenger Crimson Advocate and from Japan its North Bridge, T O Royal and Blow The Horn.
