Do they really need to open with that line?
Black Caviar's Adelaide appearance was the biggest thing to happen to SA racing in 50 years
by: Brendan Cormick From: The Australian April 30, 2012 12:00AM
IT could be argued, as racing goes, South Australia is a backwater.
Of the mainland states, it offers the lowest prizemoney levels on basic race cards. The state that produced champions such as 1960s cult horse Tobin Bronze hasn't generated an awe-inspiring thoroughbred since Dulcify in the 70s and Rubiton in the 80s.
Many great trainers, including Bart Cummings, Colin Hayes, John Hawkes, David Hayes, David Hall and Mark Kavanagh, have cut their teeth in South Australia, but had to leave for Victoria or NSW to make their name.
In 1961 Tulloch travelled to Adelaide in a bid to become the first Australian racehorse to top pound stg. 100,000. It is an indictment on the past committees, administrations and governments that Black Caviar's performance in winning the Sportingbet Classic at Morphettville on Saturday, drawing 30,000 people to the course, is the biggest thing to happen to SA racing for more than 50 years.
That is unless you include the appearance of pop princess Kylie Minogue's appearance at the Adelaide Cup race meeting in 1998. She pulled 37,000 through the turnstiles and didn't sing a note.
And it would be fair to say that Black Caviar was revered as if she were a rock star or a movie icon.
Those not among the 30,000 sell-out crowd stood three-deep behind the cyclone wire fence in Bray Street, which runs parallel to the back straight.
In England, Ireland, Dubai and the US, the race was telecast live. It is doubtful Adelaide has had as much exposure since it lost the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in 1995.
Matt Chapman from British channel At The Races flew out to interview trainer Peter Moody and watch the salmon and black silks flash past the post for a record 20th time before Black Caviar's overseas mission at Royal Ascot when she runs in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes on June 23.
"Gotta say the atmosphere here in Adelaide is amazing . . . school kids saying: 'Oh my God, I'm going to see Black Caviar'. #differentworld," Chapman tweeted to his 13,000 followers.
Songwriter Burt Bacharach walked on stage at the Sydney Opera House and opened by lavishing praise on Black Caviar.
Everybody who went on Saturday was given a ticket providing free admission on all days before the end of the year except Goodwood and Melbourne Cup days. How many will be at Morphettville when Black Caviar returns for The Goodwood on Saturday week, especially as it clashes with the AFL game between Adelaide and Geelong?
How many will go to the races when there is no Black Caviar?
As great a promotional exercise as it was, it's probably not enough. That won't deter the present racing administrators from taking a page out of Bacharach's songbook and Wishin' and Hopin'.