Group 1 racing returns to Headquarters this Saturday with the sprinters taking centre stage in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes.
Multiple Group 1 winner Imperatriz makes her long-awaited return to the races in the feature, joined alongside by Private Eye, Bella Nipotina, and a couple of promising three-year-olds in Cylinder and I Am Unstoppable.
The Group 3 Vanity could serve as a key lead up race for a handful of fillies looking ahead to the Australian Guineas, while the CS Hayes Stakes holds similar importance for the likes of Riff Rocket and King Colorado.
A monster 10-race program awaits at Flemington, and our best bets ahead of Lightning Stakes Day can be found below!
El Soleado continues to improve with racing, stringing together two impressive wins over shorter trips leading in.
He was away slowly here at Headquarters two back over the mile, but that didn’t stop him from charging the line late to get up in his final few strides ahead of Botany.
The son of Toronado handled the rise to 1800m in his next start at Caulfield, driving hard down the outside to win by close to a length.
This is tougher again up a level, but he should be saved for late if Jamie Kah can settle midfield from the inside gate.
Ouroboros resumes off a lengthy spell for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr.
The lightly-raced colt has been off the scene since last August, seen finishing a very narrow runner-up to Cylinder in a Group 3 over the same distance at Caulfield.
His first-up effort at Morphettville last time in work was solid and he did look in fantastic order during a recent Cranbourne trial.
Craig Newitt has a good feel for him, and providing the weight doesn’t prove too much, this does look a winnable assignment for the pair.
Aardvark is an intriguing colt out of the Corstens yard that could run a cheeky race here at a nice price.
The Capitalist two-year-old hasn’t been seen since placing third in the Debutant Stakes at Caulfield during the spring, peeling away from midfield to hit the frame hard in the end.
He’s trialled up nicely in the lead up to his return, finding a place behind a smart type that came and won his maiden well at Sandown last week.
Competing with winkers on for the first time from a handy gate, I’m happy to be with him in an open race.
Tough race to assess, but definitely one Who Dares is well-deserving of winning based on recent form.
The four-year-old by Deep Field has been racing well of late, finding the money in his last two starts in town.
He hit the lead two weeks ago at Caulfield over the final 300m, looming the winner before being run down by very impressive gelding, Jimmysstar.
Before that, he was placed at Stakes level here over 1400m at Flemington, again only conceding late after finding the front at the top of the straight.
This is his first look at the mile, but if he gets across early from the gate, he should be hard to catch.
Wishlor Lass could be in for another huge prep if her recent trial win at Geelong was anything to go by.
Simon Wilde’s mare was a quiet achiever during the spring, stringing together a hat-trick of wins across Sandown, Caulfield, and The Valley – the final two coming at Group 3 level.
The stable had a throw at the stumps in the Empire Rose to round things out, and I thought she was far from disgraced finishing midfield from a very tricky gate.
Unbeaten over this trip and proven fresh, she should be in the mix.
French Endeavour is a talented filly that looks close to putting it all together for Matthew Smith.
The Rubick three-year-old appeared in need of the run at Rosehill a fortnight ago, failing to find an extra gear when the leaders quickened, but still running on nicely to finish just under four lengths off Wallenda.
She took on tougher races than this last spring and also looks suited getting out to a bigger track with fitness on her side.
With luck from the wide alley, she could surprise at a nice price in this year’s The Vanity.
King Colorado has been a tough horse to follow over the last 12 months, but like the saying goes, you’re only as good as your last run.
Ciaron Maher’s colt was enormous off a break in the Manfred Stakes on Australia Day, bolting into the picture from a long way back to finish a length second to all-the-way winner, Brave Mead.
His late sectionals (9th fastest of the meeting) suggest there could be more to come, while he also won his maiden well second-up last May.
The barrier makes this slightly tricky, but providing he doesn’t give away too big of a start under Mark Zahra, he should be finishing off strongly in the CS Hayes Stakes.
We could be set for a memorable clash between two of the country’s best sprinters in Imperatriz and Private Eye in the feature.
I’ve sided with the short-priced favourite for obvious reasons. Not only does she fly fresh, but as we saw last week with Mr Brightside, very rarely does a poor showing at the trials translate into a flat effort come race day with these top-class types.
As an each-way play, I do think I Am Unstoppable is the one that can cause an upset. He’s run some big races down the Flemington straight and was unlucky not to win the Coolmore Stud Stakes during the spring.
For more of an in-depth look at my top four selections, check out our Black Caviar Lightning Stakes tips here!
Could be a bit of a ‘no bet’ race with Jimmysstar going around at unbackable odds.
The Kiwi import hasn’t missed a beat since arriving in Australia last November, returning from a 10-week spell at Caulfield a fortnight ago where he put paid to his rivals by over a length.
The son of Per Incanto looked to have a gear to give through the line, while it’s worth mentioning he overcame a similar wide gate two back at Cranbourne where he let down with a big run from midfield.
This is the toughest assignment he’s faced, but with the All-Star Mile in his sights and Craig Williams proven in the saddle, I can’t back against him.
Bel Air has a very likeable record over the 1400m trip with two wins and a handful of placings to his name.
The Freedman-trained son of Written Tycoon was all class on New Year’s Day over the track and distance, installed at a short price where he defeated a couple of smart horses in Helix and El Soleado by a decent margin.
The form out of that has held up quite nicely since, while he also had some excuses last time out where he really only got going over the final 100m behind a smart gelding from the Lindsay Park yard.
Fitter for four runs back with the blinkers coming off again, this looks the right race for him if Damian Lane can settle off the speed.