Black Caviar Lightning

Looking for this year’s Black Caviar Lightning betting odds, tips and form guide? The experts at Neds have everything you need!

Black Caviar Lightning 2026 Results

The official 2026 Black Caviar Lightning results will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday, February 14, 2026.

The Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Coolmore Stud Stakes winning Street Boss colt Tentyris ($2.60F) was too good fresh making up ground late in a barnstorming finish thanks to a gun ride by Damian Lane to beat home his older rivals first-up for another Group 1 Flemington success in the 2026 Black Caviar Lightning results on Saturday. His win over the brave filly My Gladiola has him on target for a shot at the Group 1 $2 million Newmarket Handicap on March 7 pending a weight decision by the handicappers.

Black Caviar Lightning 2026 Tips

Our insider 2026 Black Caviar Lightning tips will be detailed here the week of the race and a full betting preview published on the Neds Blog.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE 2026 BLACK CAVIAR LIGHTNING DAY PREVIEW & TIPS

Registered as the Lighting Stakes, the Black Caviar Lighting is run over a short 1,000 metres each February at Flemington Racecourse. Offering $1,000,000 in prize money the event attracts a star line-up of early season sprinters, many of which contested the previous spring’s $20 million The Everest in Sydney.

In 2022 the previous year’s The Everest champion Nature Strip ran second in an upset 2021 Black Caviar Lightning result after missing the kick.

This race can be seen as an excellent lead in to the 1,200 metre Newmarket Handicap, which takes place in March and Black Caviar (2011), Lankan Rupee (2014), Redkirk Warrior (2018) and all recently completed the Lightning Stakes – Newmarket Group 1 double at HQ.

In 2021 the reigning Australian Horse of the Year Nature Strip won the Black Caviar Lightning and continued on to add a host of other top level wins to his incredible sprint record including that year’s The Everest.

Nature Strip returned to run second in the 2022 Black Caviar Lightning behind his stablemate Home Affairs in an upset before going on to win Sydney’s Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes for a record-equalling third time and dominate Royal Ascot’s Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes in the UK by over five lengths.

In 2023 Nature Strip returned as the odds-on favourite only to run a disappointing sixth behind gun filly Coolangatta in the Black Caviar Lightning results.

Skybird became the longest-priced Black Caviar Lightning Stakes winner in the race’s 71-year history when winning at $26 in 2025!

Black Caviar Lightning 2026 – Quick Information

• Race Day: Saturday, February 14, 2026
• Track Location: Flemington Racecourse
• Track Surface: Turf
• Track Direction: Left-handed
• Race Distance: 1,000 metres
• Weight Conditions: Weight for age
• Qualification: Open
• Type: Thoroughbred
• Grade: Group 1
• Operator: Victoria Racing Club
• Prize Purse: $1,000,000
• Inaugural Race: 1955
• 2026 Black Caviar Lightning Winner: Tentyris

Black Caviar Lightning Betting 2026

There are many different ways to bet on the Black Caviar Lightning, and we have included some of the most popular options below:

Bet Type	How To Place This Type of Bet on This Year’s Black Caviar Lightning
Win Bet	Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s Black Caviar Lightning.
Place Bet	Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s Black Caviar Lightning. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds.
Each-Way Bet	If your runner finishes 1st in the Black Caviar Lightning, you will collect both the Win and the Place dividend. If your horse finishes 2nd or 3rd you will collect the Place dividend.
Quinella Bet	You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in any order, within the Black Caviar Lightning, in order to win the Quinella.
Exacta Bet	You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order, within the Black Caviar Lightning to win the Exacta.
Trifecta Bet	You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within the Black Caviar Lightning to win the Trifecta.
First Four	You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd ,3rd and 4th in the correct order, within the Black Caviar Lightning to win the First 4.
Quadrella Bet (Quaddie)	You must select the winners of four nominated races to win the Quaddie. This means you would have to select three other races apart from the Black Caviar Lightning, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie.

How To Bet on the Black Caviar Lightning

1. Log in at neds.com.au
2. Make sure to check out form guide, once it’s released
3. Decide what kind of bet you’re going to place (Win, Place, Each-Way, Trifecta + more betting options, please read our section on Black Caviar Lightning Betting above).
4. Select the horse(s) for the race.

Which Horse Will Win the Black Caviar Lightning

The best way to pick which horse will win the Black Caviar Lightning in 2026 is to take into account their lead-up autumn racing form, past Group 1 sprint stars, previous performers from earlier years in the same event and those with a good record at the famous Flemington track.

Additional factors to consider when picking the Black Caviar Lightning winner include:

• Super Sprint – The 1000m is best suited to short distance specialists with even 1200m horses sometimes finding the sprint too sharp.
• First-Up Factor – Horses racing first-up have an outstanding record in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes. Home Affairs (2022), Coolangatta (2023), Imperatriz (2024), Skybird (2025) and Tentyris (2026) are the latest first-up Black Caviar Lightning winners. Home Affairs and Coolangatta meanwhile were both three-year-olds who had their previous run in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at the track the November before with Home Affairs doing the double and Coolangatta improving on a fifth in the 1200m event. Tentyris (2026) was also the last 3YO champion having also claimed the Coolmore Stud Stakes the November prior.
• Inside Alleys – History shows the majority of winners have started from barrier nine or less in the race.
• Group 1 Horses – Proven Group 1 sprinters have dominated this race in the past 30 plus years.

Black Caviar Lightning Favourites 2026

Early favourites in 2026 Black Caviar Lightning betting include Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winning Street Boss colt Tentyris and Clayton Douglas’s sprint marvel Giga Kick.

From 2006 – 2026 eight Black Caviar Lightning favourites saluted for the punters most recently Tentyris ($2.60 in 2026).

Black Caviar Lightning 2026 Field

The official 2026 Black Caviar Lightning field of final acceptances is announced on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in full below.

The Black Caviar Lightning 2026 final field features a small but classy line-up of eight autumn sprinters including resuming Champions Sprint winner Giga Kick, the spring’s Moir Stakes champ Baraqiel and Coolmore Stud Stakes winning colt Tentyris.

Flemington R8 - Black Caviar Lightning (G1)

Final Race time: 

	Entrant	Last 6	Sex	Barrier	Weight
	1. Giga Kick J: Ethan Brown T: Clayton Douglas	36x11x	G	6	58.5kg
	2. Baraqiel J: Ben Allen T: L & T Corstens & W Larkin	3x112x	G	5	58.5kg
	3. Benedetta J: Jamie Melham T: Ciaron Maher	7x758x	M	1	56.5kg
	4. Tentyris J: Damian Lane T: Anthony & Sam Freedman	1x311x	C	7	55.5kg
	5. Beiwacht J: Ben Melham T: Chris Waller	x3214x	C	3	55.5kg
	6. Marhoona J: Michael Dee T: Michael Freedman	21x13x	F	4	53.5kg
	7. My Gladiola J: Jamie Mott T: John Mcardle	21223x	F	8	53.5kg
	8. Military Tycoon J: Harry Coffey T: Ciaron Maher	x196x2	F	2	53.5kg

View Results

Black Caviar Lightning Race Day 2026

Black Caviar Lightning Day 2026 takes place at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday, February 14, 2026. There are two Group 3 support acts on the card with the running of the:

• Group 3 $200,000 C.S. Hayes Stakes (1400m), and the
• Group 3 $200,000 Frances Tressady Stakes (1400m).

Black Caviar Lightning Barrier Draw 2026

The 2026 Black Caviar Lightning barrier draw will be released to the public a few days before the race and will be published in our above Black Caviar Lightning Field section.

Black Caviar Lightning Nominations 2026

2026 Black Caviar Lightning Nominations close at 12 PM on the Monday of race week.

The Black Caviar Lightning 2026 nominations feature a host of resuming, star sprinters led in all-in betting by Anthony & Sam Freedman’s Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winning colt Tentyris.

2026 Black Caviar Lightning nominations extended until 10:00am (AEDT) – 10/02/2026

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp Rating
1	31163x112x	BARAQIEL	G	7	Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin	113
2	2190x3214x	BEIWACHT	C	3	Chris Waller	109
3	02547x758x	BENEDETTA	M	6	Ciaron Maher	109
4	87x1x5181x	CABALLUS	G	5	Bjorn Baker	108
5	427x36x11x	GIGA KICK	G	6	Clayton Douglas	116
6	121x13x	MARHOONA	F	3	Michael Freedman	104
7	7x196x2	MILITARY TYCOON	F	3	Ciaron Maher	76
8	128x21223x	MY GLADIOLA	F	3	John McArdle	100
9	6×56560424	PHILOSOPHER	G	6	Enver Jusufovic	84
10	5121x311x	TENTYRIS	C	3	Anthony & Sam Freedman	110

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Black Caviar Lightning Weights 2026

Standard weight for age conditions apply to this race. Final 2026 Black Caviar Lightning Weights are announced at 4 PM on the Monday of race week with weights on the final acceptances to be published in our above Black Caviar Lightning Field section.

Black Caviar Lightning Acceptances 2026

2026 Black Caviar Lightning Final Acceptances must be declared before 9:30 AM on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in our above Black Caviar Lightning Field section.

Black Caviar Lightning Jockeys 2026

The final riders must be announced by 1 PM on the Wednesday of race week with the confirmed 2026 Black Caviar Lightning Jockeys to be published in our above Black Caviar Lightning Field section.

Black Caviar Lightning Scratchings 2026

2026 Black Caviar Lightning scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Saturday, February 14, 2026.

Black Caviar Lightning Prize Money 2026

The 2026 Black Caviar Lightning prize purse is worth $1,000,000 in total, distributed from places first through to eighth.

Place	Prize Money
1st	$600,000
2nd	$180,000
3rd	$90,000
4th	$45,000
5th	$25,000
6th	$20,000
7th	$20,000
8th	$20,000

Black Caviar Lightning Race Number 2026

The 2026 Black Caviar Lightning race number is scheduled as Flemington Race 8 at 4:10pm (AEDT) on Saturday, February 14, 2026. There are ten races in total that day at Flemington Racecourse.

Black Caviar Lightning Form Guide 2026

The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below for a link to our full 2026 Black Caviar Lightning Form Guide following final acceptances.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 BLACK CAVIAR LIGHTNING FORM GUIDE

Black Caviar Lightning Live 2026

You can watch or listen to the 2026 Black Caviar Lightning live, across the following mediums.

Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)

Free to air television: Channels 78 (and 68 in regional areas)

Radio: Radio Sport National

Streaming: Racing.com

Mobile: Neds App

Black Caviar Lightning Winners

Winners of the Black Caviar Lightning / Lightning Stakes going back to the year 2000 are displayed in the table below. For a more complete list of previous Lightning Stakes winners from 1955 – the present visit our Black Caviar Lightning winners page here.

Year	Winner	Trainer/s	Jockey	Weight	Time
2026	Tentyris	Anthony & Sam Freedman	Damian Lane	55.5kg	0:56.91
2025	Skybird	Mitchell Freedman	John Allen	56.5kg	0:59.05
2024	Imperatriz	Mark Walker	Opie Bosson	56.5kg	0:57.54
2023	Coolangatta	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Ms Jamie Kah	53.5kg	0:56.46
2022	Home Affairs	Chris Waller	James McDonald	55.5kg	0:56.64
2021	Nature Strip	Chris Waller	Ms Jamie Kah	58.5kg	0:56.91
2020	Gytrash	Gordon Richards	Mark Zahra	58.5kg	0:57.53
2019	In Her Time	Kris Lees	Corey Brown	56.5kg	0:56.69
2018	Redkirk Warrior	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Regan Bayliss	58.5kg	0:56.33
2017	Terravista	Joseph Pride	Corey Brown	58.5kg	0:57.26
2016	Chautauqua	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Dwayne Dunn	58.5kg	0:57.02
2015	Lankan Rupee	Mick Price	Craig Newitt	58.5kg	0:56.29
2014	Snitzerland	Gerald Ryan	Brenton Avdulla	56.5kg	0:57.16
2013	Black Caviar	Peter Moody	Luke Nolen	56.5kg	0:55.42
2012	Black Caviar	Peter Moody	Luke Nolen	56.5kg	0:55.53
2011	Black Caviar	Peter Moody	Luke Nolen	56.5kg	0:57.20
2010	Nicconi	David Hayes	Damien Oliver	58.5kg	0:57.12
2009	Scenic Blast	Daniel Morton	Steven Arnold	58.5kg	0:56.94
2008	Apache Cat	Greg Eurell	Corey Brown	58.5kg	0:57.25
2007	Miss Andretti	Lee Freedman	Craig Newitt	56kg	0:57.22
2006	Takeover Target	Joe Janiak	Jay Ford	57.5kg	0:56.80
2005	Fastnet Rock	Paul Perry	Glen Boss	54.5kg	0:57.37
2004	Regimental Gal	Shaun Dwyer	Steven King	52kg	0:57.02
2003	Choisir	Paul Perry	Glen Boss	54.5kg	0:56.63
2002	Spinning Hill	Guy Walter	Steven Arnold	55kg	0:57.15
2001	Sports	John Hawkes	Darren Gauci	57.5kg	0:57.02
2000	Testa Rossa	Dean Lawson	Damien Oliver	54.5kg	0:56.04