Into the Sunset goes the Famous Pony Black Caviar. Retiring at 25 from25.

We are inconsolable.  Not at the decision, which is of course the correct one, but at the realisation that it IS over, at least from a racetrack point of view.  My Famous Pony, the great unbeaten champion Black Caviar, has just been retired.

Thank you Nelly, or Princess.  You've been my love, my darling..  And meant so much to me.  And sitting here in my lounge room, with Jessica in tears, and me in tears as well, I've never felt so alone.....

Postscript:

2 hours later, I am sitting on the grass, at the feet of my own mare Freelance. As ever, at key moments in my life, I turn to my horse. I sit and listen to her eat. Breath in the smell of her and her dinner. There is a newly delivered round bale of hay for her to enjoy while I am away this weekend.

I am reflecting on the last 2 and a half years. And the last 3 months in particular, which ironically is almost to the day. And I'm trying to envisage the racetrack and my life without this key figure that IS Black Caviar.

I dearly hope that I will continue to be entrusted with the recording of the future key moments for the Famous Pony. I still believe that no one photographs horses as well as I do. And that no one photographs this horse like I do.

So all I can do now is to wait. And to hope... On more than just one front.


Black Caviar canters to the barrier for what proved to be the very last time, in the G1 TJ Smith Stakes at Royal Randwick on 13 April 2013.  It was her 25th race, and her 25th win.  Trainer Peter Moody and all her owners announced the great champion's retirement at a specially convened press conference today, at 3pm, Wednesday 17 April 2013.

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