The returning Team Hawkes-trained Star Turn has come up trumps with barrier two as he prepares to take on the older sprinters first-up at Flemington in the 2017 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes.
Star Turn is set to jump one of the favourites in 2017 Black Caviar Lightning betting this Saturday at Flemington. Photo: Steve Hart.
Due to run as Flemington Race 8 at 4:45pm (AEDT) on Saturday afternoon, this autumn’s $750,000 Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) attracted a classy 13-starter field.
Among the ranks are a number of gun three-year-olds out to be the first of their age group to dominate the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes results since Fastnet Rock back in 2005.
Pre-field Black Caviar Lightning odds at Ladbrokes.com.au were dominated by the three-year-old sprint stars, the bookmakers unperturbed about the recent hoodoo.
One of the best in Black Caviar Lightning betting, Star Witness colt Star Turn should firm with the punters after his barrier two draw for jockey Dwayne Dunn who rode last year’s winner Chautauqua (2016) to victory from the same gate.
Star Turn was last seen running third at the track in October’s Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) after a smart 2.25 length win in Caulfield’s Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) over Malaguerra.
Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Flying Artie is also back for a rematch in the Black Caviar Lightning field on the weekend.
The Mick Price-trained Artie Schiller colt – runner-up to stablemate Extreme Choice in Blue Diamond Stakes and third to Capitalist in the Golden Slipper last autumn – races for the first time since his Group 1 win.
This is his first test against an open-age field, but he trialled well when second to Heatherly over 800m at Cranbourne on February 7 and also drew well with barrier four.
Four-time Lightning Stakes winning jockey Damien Oliver is back aboard Flying Artie first-up after Hugh Bowman took over for the Coolmore Stud Stakes win.
Price chases his second Black Caviar Lightning win after success with Lankan Rupee (2015) two years ago.
The other winners in the Black Caviar Lightning barrier draw in gates one and three respectively are the Darren Weir-trained Flamberge and Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra’s returning mare Heatherly.
Brad Rawiller rides veteran Exceed And Excel seven-year-old Flamberge second-up after the galloper ran a brave fourth at the track and distance in the Listed Kensington Stakes (1000m) on January 28.
Flamberge carted a hefty 62.5kg that day running just a length off the winner Tivaci and will appreciate the drop back to 58.5kg at weight-for-age.
It has been a while between drinks for the three-time Group 1 winner whose latest victories were the Oakleigh Plate – William Reid Stakes double last Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival.
Locally-trained Lonhro mare Heatherly is out to add to the stellar record of female gallopers in the race thanks to the three victories by the now namesake – Black Caviar (2011-2013) along with Snitzerland (2014) in recent years.
The four-year-old runs for the first time since her brave second to Extreme Choice at Moonee Valley in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) last September.
She has a killer record over the distance (8-3-3-2) and is back at Flemington looking for her second win from three starts down the straight.
See below for the full Black Caviar Lightning 2017 field, barriers and jockeys with betting to open shortly at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).
2017 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes Field & Barriers
Flemington Race 8 (4:45pm) – 18/02/2017
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Br. | Wgt. | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 73x296x20x | TERRAVISTA | Joseph Pride | Corey Brown | 9 | 58.5kg | 112 |
| 2 | x1100x98x4 | FLAMBERGE | Darren Weir | Brad Rawiller | 1 | 58.5kg | 112 |
| 3 | 61539x146x | THE QUARTERBACK | Robbie Griffiths | Matthew Allen | 12 | 58.5kg | 110 |
| 4 | 5217x2602x | COUNTERATTACK | Chris Waller | TBA | 6 | 58.5kg | 102 |
| 5 | 5121x1212x | ILLUSTRIOUS LAD | Peter Gelagotis | Anthony Darmanin | 8 | 58.5kg | 105 |
| 6 | 15x16225x7 | FAATINAH | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Regan Bayliss | 11 | 58.5kg | 101 |
| 7 | 7x0111x12x | SPIETH (NZ) | Bryce Heys | Hugh Bowman | 5 | 58.5kg | 108 |
| 8 | x1x11x113x | SUPIDO | Michael Kent | Luke Nolen | 10 | 58.5kg | 100 |
| 9 | 720143x40x | ORUJO | Shawn Mathrick | TBA | 13 | 58.5kg | 85 |
| 10 | 31113x132x | HEATHERLY | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | Damian Lane | 3 | 56.5kg | 107 |
| 11 | 2x123x11x | FLYING ARTIE | Mick Price | Damien Oliver | 4 | 55.5kg | 110 |
| 12 | x256x1213x | STAR TURN | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Dwayne Dunn | 2 | 55.5kg | 107 |
| 13 | 9x1x66735x | MISSROCK | Robbie Laing | Craig Williams | 7 | 53.5kg | 81 |
