Oz Wonder Horse Quits While She's Ahead

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

The owners of a horse that came first in every race she ever competed in have announced her retirement.

She won a record 25 consecutive races and won over a nation, but Australian wonder horse Black Caviar is finally hanging up her saddle.

The legendary mare won every race she ever ran but her owners and trainer have decided her racing career should end, disappointing fans around the globe.

"The owners and myself have had a long chat the last couple of days and this afternoon at lunchtime we decided 25 was a great number," trainer Peter Moody said on Wednesday.

Jockey Luke Nolen (r) hugs Black Caviar's trainer Peter Moody after his win

"Collectively, we decided the mare's in great shape. It's the right time to call it a day."

The seven-year-old wonder horse is widely regarded as the world's best sprinter and not only wowed race goers around Australia but last year ran at Royal Ascot, winning the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

There had been talk that Black Caviar might head back to England again for this year's Ascot but instead she will be heading to a pasture to "roll around in mud".

A helicopter pulls a sign above Sydney's Manly Beach in praise of the horse

"We thought long and hard about racing on for another season. We thought about Royal Ascot, we thought about Brisbane and we thought about Adelaide but we believe she has done everything we've asked her to do.

"She couldn't have possibly done any more" Moody said.

Speaking about the decision, Black Caviar's main owner Peter Werrett said simply: "She's told Peter, and Peter's told us."

The horse, nicknamed the Wonder from Down Under, became a huge celebrity in her home country, boasting her own range of merchandise, Facebook page and fan club.

The Queen with Black Caviar's owners at Royal Ascot after last year's win

Whenever she raced tickets sold out, punters waved Black Caviar flags and dressed in her jockey's colours, salmon with black spots.

She won her final race in Sydney last weekend and will now begin a lucrative breeding career, with her foals potentially worth millions of pounds.

Last week, her half-brother sold at auction for Aus$5m (£3.3m) - Aus$2m (£1.3m) above estimates.

"She brought interest to our sport that hasn't been there for decades," said Moody.

"Black Caviars don't come along every day."

The great mare will parade at Melbourne's famous Caulfield racetrack on Saturday to say goodbye to the public.

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