The champion sprinter Black Caviar might have just seven opponents in the $200,000, Group 2, WFA PFD Food Services Schillaci Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on Saturday when she commences her 2011 spring campaign.
When nominations closed on Monday for the Melbourne Racing Club's meeting there were a total of eight nominations for the race with the power of the sprinting mare leaving the three-year-old filly Karuta Queen the best rated entrant against her.
The other nominations are Centexpress (NZ); Eight Bills; Galbraith; Morgan Dollar; Platinum Skye and Tasos.
Black Caviar has not raced since winning the Group 1 BTC Cup over 1200m at Doomben on May 14th. She resumes in the race that she dominated last year before she went onto to win two other spring races in the Group 2 Schweppes Stakes at Moonee Valley and her memorable first Group 1 win in the Patinack Farm Classic over 1200m at Flemington on Emirates Stakes Day.
Karuta Queen goes into the race after winning the listed Heritage Stakes over 1100m at Rosehill on September 17th in 1.02.97, not far outside the Rosehill course record of 1.02.97.
There are a total of 201 nominations for the nine race programme at Caulfield. The final declarations for the $1m, Group 1, The Age Caulfield Guineas (1600m) will be taken at 9.00am on Tuesday.
Final acceptances for the rest of the programme are taken at 10.00am Wednesday.
