shes no Zarkava The greatest filly you are ever likely to see. [video=youtube;Xom6Jo1xWIc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xom6Jo1xWIc[/video] I was on at 8s for the Arc.
Black Caviar can never be, and will never be a Zarkava. But the reverse is also true. Over a trip, Zarkava would have it all over the Australian mare. But over the shorter journey, it would be all Black Caviar. Both are great advertisements for the sport. But I wouldn't be brave enough to place one above the other as you have done. Although now a mare, Black Caviar's record as a filly stood at an unbeaten 13. Zarkava. 7 unbeaten runs. 5 at G1. 1 at G3. Timeform rating 133. Black Caviar. 16 unbeaten runs. 7 at G1. 6 at G2. 2 Listed. Timeform rating 135. Not much in it really.
Pele - great striker Gordon Banks - great keeper Viv Richards - great batsman Dennis Lillee - great bowler
Pele was better than Banks. Jim Laker was a better bowler than Lillee. Lillee could only bowl straight.
Black Caviar is some horse, Her sectionals in Australia are stuff of legend shes abit of a freak like our very own Frankel, But I can't help but think that shes achieved a great deal in her career beating really really inferior animals. Haylist is probably the only real competetion shes ever faced aside from her weight carrying performance in the Newmarket handicap were she gave weight all round and everyone a good thrashing I don't think beating fields of 2 or 3 horses on carpet like surface's is much to back up her claim as one of the greatest ever. I mean shes had a good few years now to step outside Australia and face some of the worlds elite, Why as it never happened? I know they offered Rocket Man a bigger purse to come and face her but why as she never been abroad herself? Its ok keeping her in her own back garden beating the same old horses, I can't help but feel there maybe alot of hype still surrounding Black Caviar on a world stage. Tracks like Royal Ascot and the July course at Newmarket will be her sternest test, The undulations of both tracks are something she will have never expierienced and it takes a great sprinter to conqeur both sides of the globe. She as all the tools to do so... As for Zarkava she is the best filly I've ever seen, I am of the opinion that she would have beaten Sea The Stars in his Prix De L'arc De Triomphe win thats how highly I rate her...
Next you'll be telling my Freddy Titmus' learned to bowl offies when he was contracted to Watford as a footballer.
A lot of ewhat you say is true Ista. The hype is extremely strong. I know nothing of those Zarkava beat in the Prix Marcel Boussac, Prix de la Grotte etc. Or any of her other runs. But I'd be surprised if all of the races she contested were filled with the best horses in Europe at the time. If so, I stand corrected. You are right to suggest that Hey List is the best she's come up against, but he's a crack sprinter. If BC had not been on the scene, he'd be concidered something right out of the box. I've seen a lot of sprinters in the last 45 years and I'd honestly rate her alongside Vain. As for not travelling, originally she was just to stay here. She races now for reputation, not what her foals would fetch. That was assured long ago. Once she'd done all there was to do here, it was decided to send her over seas. I realise that not yet having proved herself in the UK is a mark against her name, but her first job was to be the best in a part of the globe where springing is on a par with anywhere else. To say that because she worked here first is a mark against her, is to open the door to the same accusations a lot of great UK products who also chose to go down the same route.
Probably not Cyc, But she beat whatever turned up on the day with utter brilliance I guess abit like Black Caviar. Zarkava beat nothing of note in the Boussac, She had the better of Goldikova and Aidan O'Brien's halfway to heaven in the Poulliches, She once again had the better of Goldikova in the Prix Diane and Dar Re Mi in the Vermielle. She beat two of Aidan O'Briens top colts in the Arc Soldier of Fortune and Duke of Marmalade, Vision D'Etat was unbeaten as a 2 year old and 3 year old and was the winner of the French Derby that year and he was put to the sword by Zarkava, Ask was another decent animal. I'd probably say that Sea The Stars and Zarkava didn't really beat a great deal in either of there Arc's, I just found Zarkava more impressive to watch in her 3 year old career. I can't get the image of Sea The Stars being flogged to beat Mastercraftsman in probably the worst Juddmonte International ever staged and again all out to hold off Rip Van Winkle who was obviously a classy horse. Zarkava never really looked in trouble at any point in her races, But like they say Sea The Stars would never beat anyone that impressively he just got the job done. I think Black Caviar is a top top horse Cyc, Sprinters never really catch the imagination for Me well they never usually have My favourite all time sprinter as to be Dayjur, I loved that horse a pure bundle of power and speed and I still cant watch his 'hop' over the shadow at the Breeders Cup. I'd love to see Black Caviar come over and prove herself the Champion she is. The sport needs horses like her...
Until I joined the old 606 forum, I'd not heard of Dayjur. So a few years back I went in search of all I could find in the great horse. I was stunned. Horses like him are a once in a life time animal Ista. It was a real shame that he jumped that shadow in the US. A truly fantastic horse.
The plan is still for her to go to England Oddy, but she has maybe more races pencilled in, starting with the Australia Stakes about 10 days. If she wins them all, she moves past Zenyatta 19 wins. She could hit the UK turf unbeaten in 20 by then....maybe.
The word great gets thrown about far to much, though I do think Black Caviar and Zarkava are/were both great filly's. I'd say those 2 and Zenyatta, are the only 3 fillies that I would class as greats, from this century. The likes of Goldikova and Ouija Board fall along way short of being greats IMO. If I had to pick the greatest one of the 3, I think I'd go with Black Caviar. I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on Aussie racing, but one thing I do know is the top sprints out there, are far tougher than the sprints in Europe or America, so the fact BC has won 16 races in a row out there shows what a champion she is, and she doesnt just win them, she laughs at her opposition, and is so dominant that shes sent off at 1/14, against the best sprinters around. She has also taken on and beaten male horse's on more than double the occasions of both Zarkava and Zenyatta combined. Her connections are so confident in her ability that they are coming over to Europe this summer, and if she can maintain that dominance over here then she has to go down as the greatest filly ever, and there could be an argument for greatest horse ever. Zarkava's connections never left France, and Zenyattas connections were **** scared of everything and let her notch up wins against far inferior fillys, rather than take on the boys more often. So as things stand Black Caviar ranks above both, and will be even further clear, if she proves herself over here in Europe, and I don't see anything in Europe getting her out of 3rd gear. I am very much looking forward to seeing her at Royal Ascot, though I doubt she will be available at a backable price
