One last time around the track: Nolen relives his time with Black Caviar

Ace jockey Luke Nolen reveals the story behind Black Caviar's highs and lows to mojo's Tess Papanikolaou.

by TESS PAPANIKOLAOU

BLACK Caviar pulled up in bad shape. It was after her 25th consecutive win, nailing the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick despite a tough ride from barrier one.

Luke Nolen, who steered Black Caviar to 22 of her 25 straight victories, said the mighty mare dug her heels in that day in April to fight for her crown.

"She was pretty stuffed after that day at Randwick, we had to do it tough because I had to manoeuvre myself away from the fence to get to the best going on the track," Nolen said.

"As we were second away from the fence, she had to do it pretty close-ended and she was stuffed by the end of it and after the race."

Peter Moody, the celebrated trainer who meticulously prepared the great mare, decided to retire Black Caviar just days after the Randwick episode.

"Peter (Moody) said he planned defeat right there and that he only had only found her (like that after the race) once before and that was after Ascot," Nolen said.

"And he didn't want to see her like that again."

While Nolen didn't know that April 13 would be Black Caviar's swan song, he admits he was overwhelmed with emotion after the TJ Smith Stakes – a sign of relief after an intense build-up.

"My emotions probably spilled out a little more than they usually do," Nolen, 33, recalled.

"I don't say much most of the time but it got to me a little bit, being the last race with a big build-up with the day and the whole week.

"And post-race, when I was speaking to (Channel Seven's) Hamish McLachlan, I got a bit choked up, but the special horses do that to you.

"I didn't have any knowledge that it was going to be my last time on her back that day."

Nolen is enjoying a well-earned rest from horse racing after an unforgettable riding stint. Despite Black Caviar's exhaustion after her 25th win, Nolen is convinced her career could have continued.

"She could have kept going, but she's got nothing left to prove," Nolen said.

"How many trainers and coaches have gone one run or one season too many or too long?

"And away from the track she's a pretty valuable brand in herself and she is so valuable to racing. They love to see her in a race but the fact is she managed to retire undefeated.

"She's going to be a story that grandparents are going to be telling grandkids in years to come."

If Black Caviar had continued, there was a risk of defeat and spoiling her legendary status.

"She was so loved and adored because she had that individuality because she was undefeated," Nolen said.

"And it would have been a great shame to see her get beaten."

Moody said it was important for Australian sport in general to have a horse that is rated the best in the world.

"She is a Melbourne girl but more importantly she is a Caulfield girl," Moody said.

Nolen spoke of the joy he felt after every win on Black Caviar, affectionately nicknamed "Nelly".

"My favourite moment is the 30 or 40 seconds you get post-race with her where it was just me and her," Nolen said.

"One of my favourite moments with Black Caviar was when she broke the track record at Flemington and then sharing the post-race interview with my son."

As Black Caviar smashed the record books, Nolen struggled to grasp her iconic status as a world-beater.

"Even though she's retired you probably don't have a great grasp on how important the rides actually were," Nolen said.

"I know how adored she was but the actual record and the way it went on breaking record after record, most of that probably hasn't sunken in.

"I'm still getting over the last ride I had on her and that was winning the TJ Smith Stakes."

There were some dark moments for "Nelly" and Nolen, particularly after Royal Ascot last June when the battling mare clinched a heart-stopping win from Moonlight Cloud.

Nolen said he was "hollow and flat" after Black Caviar scraped home at Ascot.

"Because she was hurting so much, she stopped and we got away with it," he said.

"That's the way I look at it. It's been 12 months since Ascot and it's still disappointing for me."

After Ascot, Nolen said he used the criticism to fuel himself for better results.

"It was a chance for me to redeem myself. I got a nice old wack over it in England and copped a bit over here as well," he said.

"The best thing about it was they attacked me and not the mare."

Nolen said he took the rap after Black Caviar hurt like hell on the Ascot track.

"It was either the most courageous win or probably the most disappointing win in the same breathe because she was hurting," he said.

"And they never attacked her saying how poor and overrated the Australian horses are - they just attacked me so that was the only good thing about it."

Nolen is humble about his role in Black Caviar's story, as hundreds of Australians were captivated by the mare's dominant run.

"I was just there to keep her happy and out of trouble," he said.

"She had technical gate speed, she just had a good racing style and she rode so she could break up the field in the middle stage of the race or she could run over the top of them at the end.

"She was a very versatile horse - as a result it made my job very easy."

Nolen said he may never see another horse like Black Caviar again.

"She's a one in a generation, one in a lifetime. They are just very special animals and I hate comparing her to past horses because I think they should all be celebrated by their unique qualities when racing."

Nolen is reserving a quiet time to say goodbye to the great mare.

"I'll take my kids up there and we will give her a pat and some carrots," he said.

"I'll get my chance to say my farewell privately because I didn't want to do it at Caulfield (publicly)."

Story first appeared in BackPageLead.