Group 1 racing returns to Flemington on Saturday and we’re set for an outstanding edition of Black Caviar Lightning Stakes Day.
Some of the country’s best sprinters have been confirmed for a start in the feature including In Her Time, Written By and Sunlight, while there’s also the unknown quantity of two-year-old Jedastar who will carry only 44kgs.
Nine races will be run and won at HQ in total and the action is underway at 12:35pm AEDT.
An open field of eleven fillies and mares has been taken for the first and a case to be made for a few – the consistent Remember The Name has gone $6.50 into $3.50 favouritism, from Mountain Breath ($4.40) and Jester Halo ($8); the only other mare currently available at odds of less-than $10.
The favourite looks to have been building towards a race like this one, this time and will be tough to beat. The daughter of Lope De Vega finished a nose third at Sandown last time out and will only improve into this race, while James McDonald aboard is also a notable advantage.
Another eleven-horse field and very keen on European import Schabau, in what will be his second-up run in Australia. The Pastorius entire didn’t finish outside of the placings through his six starts in Europe and immediately stamped himself as a horse to follow when he debuted in Australia for a smart win at this track and distance. You can take $3.20 about the four-year-old at publish, but I cannot imagine that will last.
The early scratching of Malaise has left twelve runners in the field for the third and at publish, we’re looking at $5 the field in betting.
Princeton Spirit ($13) has improved in his two starts this time and with even luck from his wide barrier, can fight out the finish of this race at each-way odds. The Nadeem gelding has been the stable star for Julius Sandhu throughout his entire racing career so far and was terrific last time in; recording wins in several metro sprints. He was last seen finishing third in the Viatek sprint at Sale and is over the odds at his current price.
With spots in next week’s Blue Diamond Stakes still up for grabs, a capacity field of two-year-olds will step out in the Talindert Stakes. The market is dominated by the two Godolphin juveniles Lanigera ($4.50) and Microphone ($4.60), who are the only two horses currently available at single-figure quotes.
Microphone flew home to win the Arbour Plate (1000m) down the straight here at HQ on debut and will be extremely tough to beat again. The son of Exceed And Excel was last seen finishing second to the talented I Am Immortal in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) and will only improve into this race. James McDonald will have options from the rails draw.
Eleven three-year-old fillies will contest this year’s edition of The Vanity, but it does look like Fundamentalist’s race to lose. Fundamentalist ($3) was a strong and largely consistent performer through the recent Spring Carnival and recorded placings in both the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) and Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) most notably. Her first-up effort this time for fourth Group 3 Manfred Stakes (1200m) was good and she’ll relish the step up in trip here.
Another capacity field of milers and an open betting race – Heptagon has been backed into $3.60 favouritism (opened at $5.50), ahead of Antah ($4.20) and Mr Money Bags ($5).
Mr Money Bags has actually been an early drifter, but has been a strong and consistent performer for Robbie Griffiths this time and will be hard to beat again. He was an impressive winner over 1400m here three runs back and hung on well to finish fourth in the Listed Chester Manifold Stakes (1400m) last month. He didn’t appear to like the conditions at Caulfield last time out and should therefore enjoy a return to his more-favoured track.
This is one of the strongest editions of the CS Hayes Stakes in recent memory and at publish, we’re looking at $6 the field. Plenty of hype has surrounded Adana’s short racing career so far and he is the market favourite from Age Of Chivalry ($6.50) and O’Tauto ($7).
Ringerdingding ($8.50) ran on well to finish third in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes last weekend and will improve into this race, while Derby winner Extra Brut ($9.50) clearly has the class to win a race of this calibre.
Tasmanian raider The Inevitable ($13) faces his biggest test to date in this race but has been outstanding in the Apple Isle and could prove to be the value here. The Dundeel gelding has won all four of his races this time, including the Listed Tasmanian Guineas (1600m) last time out and he is rock-hard fit for this race.
Eleven sprinters have been confirmed for this year’s Black Caviar Lightning Stakes and there is a case to be made for nearly every horse. Sunlight is the $3.90 favourite at publish, from In Her Tim ($6.50 into $5.50) and Graff ($6).
The Godolphin runner Osborne Bulls ($6.50) has not been seen at the races since he won the Group 2 TAB Stakes (1200m) down the Flemington straight in November, but he absolutely flies fresh and looks ready for this after a nice trial at Randwick late last month. The son of Street Cry has been a strong and consistent performer throughout his racing career but went to another level in spring; winning the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) and finishing third in The Everest (1200m) on top of his Group 2 triumph.
A hard race to analyse and a tough prospect for punters to end the day on – this is another $6 the field situation.
I’ll be happy to have something each-way on the Shane Nichols-trained Streets Of Avalon ($9), who is drawn to get a nice run in transit from barrier 7. The Magnus gelding finished second over 1100m at Caulfield first-up but used too much petrol crossing the field from a wide barrier second-up and faded late. His most-recent run for second behind Heptagon was full of merit and he should only improve into this race.