2020 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes Day Preview

Group 2 MV Vase winner Stars Of Carrum didn’t find his best form during a busy preparation for Robbie Laing last time in, but he is obviously a talented horse at his best and a switch to Mick Kent’s yard could prove all the difference. The Fiorente gelding was terrific during the spring of his three-year-old campaign, winning the Vase at the Valley and running a length second to Extra Brut in the Derby. He’s had a good, long break and I like that he’s beginning his prep over a mile. Happy to have something small on each-way in benchmark company.

1 Unit E/W Stars Of Carrum

Thousand Wishes was close to a good thing beaten when she finally got out at savaged the line at Caulfield last time out and looks primed to go one better in the second at Flemington. The Lope De Vega mare recorded consecutive wins at Ladbrokes Park and here at HQ before just missing at her last two. She’s rock-hard fit, gets a lovely relief in the weights and this race doesn’t look any harder than her last start.

2 Units Thousand Wishes

Mildred has continued to impress as her short racing career has progressed and she looks well placed to record another win in the Talindert Stakes. The Hinchinbrook filly recorded consecutive wins down the Flemington straight when debuting, including the Maribyrnong Plate before ending her debut prep less than a length from the winner in the Inglis Nursery. She was an easy winner of the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) when resuming a fortnight ago and will only improve into this.

2 Units Mildred

Big Sur will appreciate getting out to 2000m for the first time this prep and is ready to win at HQ. The Colin Little-trained gelding attacked the line to finish a length fourth at Pakenham two back before running on well again to finish fifth in BM84 company at Caulfield last time out. I like that Craig Williams has elected to stay with the horse for this race and it really does look an ideal Saturday metro target for him.

2 Units Big Sur

Even with the Group 1 feature later in the program, the CS Hayes Stakes could be the best race at Flemington on Saturday, as some of the carnival’s best three-year-olds tune up for the Australian Guineas in a fortnight.

With Super Seth left out of the final field, it does look a race in three between Queenslander Alligator Blood and undefeated Kiwi raider Catalyst, while the classy Dalasan will also take plenty of improvement into this. I love all of them and would gladly back any but for that same reason, I cannot split them. I’m going to watch this for the spectacle it is and wait for the Guineas.

No Bet

Just Hifalutin will take winning form into the sixth on Black Caviar Lightning Day and looks up to making it two wins in a row. The Enver Jusufovic-trained mare has been a stable star for several seasons now and just got too far back when resuming at this track and distance, but there was a lot to like about the way that she hit the line. She was rewarded with a lovely win in the Sale Quality last time out and will only improve further into this race. Even with the heavy weight, I think she’ll be right in the finish.

1 Unit E/W Just Hifalutin

Only seven horses have accepted for the Black Caviar Lightning, but it is set to be an exciting race between odds-on favourite Nature Strip, classy three-year-old Loving Gabby and veteran champion Redzel.

Nature Strip went to another level in the spring; adding wins in the Group 1 Moir Stakes and Group 1 VRC Sprint to his record. His win in the VRC Sprint was particularly impressive and his tough fourth in The Everest should not be underrated either. His work and trials in the lead up to this have been nothing short of outstanding and I think he’ll win, but he’s far too short for me.

No Bet

Katalin puts an unbeaten record on the line in The Vanity and this does look a lovely black type target for her. The daughter of Medaglia D’oro has only had two starts since debuting last month, but immediately stamped herself as one to watch when winning at Warwick Farm, before repeating that result with a dominant performance at Newcastle. This is obviously harder, but I’m confident that she’ll make the step up successfully.

4 Units Katalin

This is a tough way to end the day from a betting perspective and there is a case to be made for several horses fighting into the winner’s stall.

Star Missile was outstanding during a short spring campaign and I’ll be happy to have something on him first-up. The Smart Missile gelding recorded an easy win in decent company at Sale when resuming last time before beating a good field in the Country Championship Final here at Flemington on Oaks Day. Jockey Craig Williams had the option to ride plenty of leading contenders in this race but has chosen Star Missile, and that is as good as an indication as any.

2 Units E/W Star Missile