Paul Perry backs Black Caviar and Ortensia to account for rivals at Royal Ascot

13-06-2012

Ray Thomas From: The Daily Telegraph June 13, 2012

PAUL Perry, the trailblazing trainer who proved Royal Ascot could be conquered, is convinced Black Caviar and Ortensia will continue the tradition of Australian sprint superiority at England's most famous race carnival.

In 2003 the Newcastle trainer took Choisir and the unheralded Aussies shocked British racing's elite when he claimed the King's Stand-Golden Jubilee double.

Choisir and Perry showed it was possible and since then Australian sprinters Takeover Target, Miss Andretti, Scenic Blast and Starspangledbanner have also won at Royal Ascot.

Perry knows what is required to win at Royal Ascot and declared Black Caviar (Diamond Jubilee Stakes) and Ortensia (King's Stand Stakes) should simply be too good for the European sprinters.

"I don't think I've ever seen a better sprinter than Black Caviar," Perry said.

"I think she would just win the Diamond Jubilee and win it with a leg in the air.

"She handles the straight track and everything - it's all in her favour. Even Ortensia is in the right race for her, the King's Stand. If she is in the form she was in when she won in Dubai you have to wonder how they will beat her, too."

Ortensia is the $6 second favourite for the King's Stand Stakes (a1000m) on Tuesday while unbeaten Black Caviar is $1.30 to win her 22nd consecutive race in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (a1200m) on June 23.

Perry said not even the testing uphill run to the finish at Royal Ascot would trouble either of the Australian mares.

"I've found horses love working up a hill," he continued. "Every track they train on has a bit of a rise on it.

"Both the mares love straight tracks and the uphill run at Royal Ascot won't worry them. The rise is even steeper at Newmarket if they go there for the July Cup but, again, both mares are so strong at the end of their races."

Choisir won both races at Royal Ascot and nearly pulled off the treble when a close second in the July Cup.

Perry was the first Australian trainer to take a horse to England for Royal Ascot and admitted it only came about as an afterthought.

"Choisir was ready to go to Singapore but that fell through so we decided to have a look at England," Perry said.

Perry rang Jack Petley, the International Racing Bureau's Australian representative, to work out the logistics before taking the gamble and sending Choisir to England. "The main thing we were worried about was the trip, but he handled it well," Perry recalled.

"We took Fastnet Rock over the next year but he was a bit 'off' when he got there and, despite treatment, he got worse and couldn't race.

"Really, the only thing that can beat Black Caviar is if she does not travel well or acclimatise well in England but everything seems to be going well with her.

"Black Caviar is such a big, placid thing and if any horse can handle the long trip and settle in over there it is her."

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