Moody explained that the Black Caviar has not participated in races for six months. However, he insists she is a bit overweight but not fat. He said there was still plenty of time to make her fit enough to participate in the $500,000 Lightning Stakes scheduled for February 16.
Different television and radio stations raised concerns about the weight of Black Caviar and doubted her participation in the competition. The reports almost drove the trainer mad.
Before the Black Caviar took part in the Royal Ascot campaign, she had shed 40 kg and surprised many people with her lean appearance. She achieved a narrow win but performed below par, which was largely attributed to her lack of condition.
The Black Caviar has an impressive unbeaten 22-start career, and Royal Ascot was her last and most challenging run. When the Black Caviar came from quarantine, she stayed in the paddock for many weeks before taking six more weeks on Peter Clarke's water walker in Murchison. It was only last Monday that she returned to Moody’s stables in Caulfield.
Black Caviar’s campaign may include starts in T.J. Smith Stakes scheduled for April 13 at Randwick and two starts during the winter carnival in Brisbane.
Another Sydney-based trainer also came in support of Black Caviar, explaining that the number on the scale did not matter so long as Moody believed he had her fit. He explained there would be no difference if she looked tight and her breathing was right.
She may move to a V12 up from V8 if she remains above her normal racing weight because more weight means more power.
The trainer explained it was difficult to shed weight off training horses because they fed on grain-filled heavy-performance meals. The best ways of shedding weight are hard gallops and racing but the pressure may be too much for Black Caviar.
Any horse with a history of problems is not worth galloping too much.
Although horses may shed between four and nine kilograms per race, Black Caviar is unlikely to achieve that.