Group One Lightning Stakes at a glance
BLACK CAVIAR LIGHTNING STAKES
Group One 1000m Weight-for-age Flemington Saturday February 17 2018
Lightning Stakes History
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Dates back to 1955 with Group One status since 1987
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Named after the champion, and unbeaten, mare Black Caviar who won the race in 2011, 2012, 2013
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Other Notable Winners: Todman (1960); Sky High (1961/62); Dual Choice (1971); Maybe Mahal (1977/78); River Rough (1984/85); Placid Ark (1987); Shaftesbury Avenue (1991); Schillaci (1992/93); Mahogany (1995/97); General Nediym (1998); Testa Rossa (2000); Choisir (2003); Fastnet Rock (2005); Takeover Target (2006); Apache Cat (2008); Nicconi (2010); Lankee Rupee (2015); Chautauqua (2016)
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Leading Trainer: The late Bart Cummings holds the record with seven wins. Lee Freedman won six with Miss Andretti (2007) the most recent.
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Leading Jockey: Damien Oliver holds the record with five wins and is on Missrock this year.
2018 Lightning Stakes Favourite
Redzel has stamped himself as Australia’s pin-up sprinter, winning his past six starts. His 2017 spring carnival wins included the inaugural $10 million Everest at Randwick and the Darley Classic at Flemington.
Defending Lightning Stakes Champion
Terravista won the Lightning a year ago and was arguably unlucky not to win in 2016 when beaten in a photo finish. The eight-year-old gelding flies fresh and loves the Flemington straight. He has also won a Group One Darley Classic and placed in two others, including his second to Redzel last spring.
What The Connections Are Saying
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“He has a great first-up record and we’ve put him in blinkers which he wore in a recent jump-out at Flemington and was really good. I think he’s in similar form to when he won the Newmarket” – Redkirk Warrior’s co-trainer Tom Dabernig
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“I know we are taking on the big boys and it’s the best of the best sprinters, but I just think it’s definitely the type of race where we can have a throw at the stumps. She’s a horse that runs very fast and this is probably her pet distance” – Super Too’s trainer Marc Conners
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“She’s right on target and I know it’s a top field and she’ll want to be at her top, but her top always seems to be first-up” – Missrock’s trainer Robbie Laing
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“If he can run a place, myself and the owners would be rapt. In my opinion the horse can pick up a Group One at some stage” – Rock Magic’s trainer Chris Gangemi
Read our full Lightning Stakes guide here : Lightning Stakes.