"I've always felt she would be just as explosive, if not more so, at 1400m," Moody told the Herald Sunas a "never-been-better" Black Caviar paraded in front of the trainer's Caulfield stables. "Someone might pull something out of left field but it won't worry her. She'll just relax."
Moody outlined negatives and positives about Dubai next month, but the positives now appear stronger, particularly the break it would provide en route to Royal Ascot.
Moody said he would fly to Dubai next month to do some reconnaissance for the March 31 World Cup meeting, at which Black Caviar is likely to take on Sepoy in the A$2 million Golden Shaheen.
"It's a terrific prizemoney race," he said. "It's growing towards the world championship of racing - horses from Japan, America, Europe and our own Sepoy and Helmet as well. It would be a great challenge."
Moody said he had been flooded with inquiries from all over the world for Black Caviar to appear at carnivals, and a French film crew would follow her trackwork next week.
He said a Breeders Cup start in the US was unlikely because of relatively poor stakemoney.
Quarantine protocols made a trip to Japan difficult, even though rich Japanese sprint races would "supersede everything" if quarantine could be factored into a campaign.
As for the Orr, Moody was confident Black Caviar's winning streak would remain unbroken.
It would be important to monitor her strength at the end of 1400m as a guide to how she will handle the undulating 1200m of the Golden Jubilee Stakes on June 23 at Royal Ascot and the July Cup at Newmarket.
Moody said the unthinkable - defeat - was something he would have to deal with if it happened.
"I get beaten 20 or 30 times a week so I think I'd handle it better than most," he said.
"But it would be disappointing for racing in general because it might lose its pop star. Hopefully, we'll never find out."
While the step from 1200m to 1400m may not seem a quantum leap, it represents a new dimension in the great mare's career.
While most of the crowd who take advantage of free entry today will be there to cheer her on to an 18th successive win, the purists will analyse where she sits in the race, when jockey Luke Nolen pushes the accelerator and how much is left at the end.
The consensus is Black Caviar will career away with the Orr Stakes, but many have tried and failed when stepping up in distance.
When comparing Black Caviar with sprinters of the past 50 years, the conversation inevitably goes back to Vain, whose star shone brightly in 14 starts between October 1968, and November 1969.
Vain won over 1400m as a 2-year-old before being given his chance over 1600m at three in the Moonee Valley Stakes. Pat Hyland, who rode him in 12 of his races, takes up the story. "I couldn't ride him in the Moonee Valley Stakes, when he was beaten just under a length by Daryl's Joy, who was close enough to a champion.
"Two weeks later we beat Daryl's Joy by three lengths over the 1600m Caulfield Guineas and three weeks after that he carried 4.5kg over weight-for-age to destroy open company in the George Adams Handicap over a mile. So he had no problem with 1600m.
"I'm sure Black Caviar will run them off their legs and I reckon she could win over 1600m. Had she and Vain met, he would have led and that's the only part I'm sure of."
