Joe McConnell
Australian sprinter Black Caviar, who won Royal Ascot in 2012, has died at the age of 18.
The mare, who had just given birth to a foal by Snitzel, suffered from a serious hoof disease and was put down shortly afterwards.
He truly won the hearts of his nation, going 25 games undefeated during his career, 15 of them at the highest level.
His victory at Royal Ascot was noteworthy for many reasons: not only did he have to travel halfway around the world rather than take the easy way out and stay at home to maintain his record, but the race itself was full of emotion.
Although the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (now the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee) included some of Europe’s best sprinters, she was still considered the 1-6 favourite.
Jockey Luke Nolen always looked in control of Peter Moody’s five-year-old Star, but he slowed before the finish line and Black Caviar slowed more quickly than expected, with Moonlight Cloud closing within a head, much to the amazement of the crowd.
Moody admitted that her death had hit him hard, but that vets could do nothing to save her because of laminitis.
“You don’t think she touches you,” he told www.racing.com. “But you’re stupid not to think she doesn’t. It’s impossible not to get attached to most animals, let alone one like her.
“About a week ago she had a milk infection and we treated her as we do with all mares, but, as with many treatments, the infection went straight to her feet.
“It basically killed her feet.
“This morning she had a foal, a Snitzel foal, and shortly after they put it down for humane reasons.
“They did a foot scan yesterday and there was no blood flow to her feet. There was minimal blood flow to her feet, but there was none and she’s such a big girl.
“I called all the staff and told them. They were all very shocked.”
Nolen said: “It’s an empty feeling.
“You could say he was just a horse, but he was more than a horse and that’s why we feel a little down. He meant a lot to us.
“She was an integral part of my career but, more importantly, she was very important to racing itself. She was one of our equine heroes.
“It was great to be a part of his story, but I always felt a little guilty because anyone could have done that job.”
