Field of 15 nominated for Group 1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington
An outstanding Sydney three-year-old is the early favourite to complete a great Australian sprinting double in Saturday’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington.
Three-year-olds fill the top three spots in opening betting on Saturday’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington.
Speedy filly Coolangatta was the last of 23 three-year-olds to beat the older horses in the 2023 Lightning Stakes while Home Affairs was the last colt to win the $1m sprint in 2022.
Home Affairs completed the Coolmore Stud Stakes and Lightning Stakes double when he defeated star sprinter Nature Strip.
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Champion trainer Chris Waller will attempt the same feat with Snitzel colt Switzerland.
Switzerland easily won the Coolmore Stud Stakes carrying the sponsor’s navy blue silks last spring and is the $3 favourite in opening all-in betting on the feature sprint.
Growing Empire, who dead-heated for third in the Coolmore Stud Stakes, is next in betting at $3.50 to give top local trainer Ciaron Maher his second Lightning Stakes win in three editions of the weight-for-age race.
Godolphin colt Traffic Warden is on the third line of early betting at $6 after winning a jumpout down the Flemington straight course last Friday.
The 2025 Black Caviar Lightning has attracted 15 entries with the Ciaron Maher-trained I Am Me the highest-rated nomination on 112.
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Switzerland, Mazu and Benedetta the highest-rated on 110 ahead of Group 1 Moir Stakes winner Mornington Glory on 110.
Bookies rated I Am Me, a winner of more than $4.6m in prizemoney, as the best of the older horses at $8 ahead of Benedetta and Espionage at $11.
The Gap Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Espionage will tackle the Lightning Stakes at his first run since his win in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes in Sydney last April.
All bar two, Joyful Fortune and Philosopher, of the Lightning Stakes nominations are set to resume in the speed test.
The last 12 Lightning Stakes winners have triumphed at their first runs back from a spell.
Originally published as Field of 15 nominated for Group 1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington
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