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The Lightning Stakes, renamed the Black Caviar Lightning, is the first sprinting race of the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival and is a premier weight-for-age event. As a 1000m race, there are no turns and horses just battle it out on the straight of the Flemington race rack.

The $750,000 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes is the only 1000m Group 1 race held in Australia and since 2005 it has been the first leg of the Global Sprint Challenge. A possible lead-up to the Lightning Stakes is Caulfield’s Group 2 Rubition Stakes (1200m) on C.F. Orr Stakes Day a fortnight earlier, but many runners take to the track first-up.

The Black Caviar Lightning serves as a nice autumn racing guide to the upcoming Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) the following month back at Flemington and Black Caviar (2011) was the last to complete the double.

The 2018 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes ran on Saturday February 17, 2018 and was won in an upset by Redkirk Warrior who defeated the odds-on favourite Redzel.

Black Caviar Lightning Stakes 2018
Date:	Saturday February 17, 2018
Track:	Flemington Racecourse
Distance:	1000m
Race Type:	Weight-For-Age
Status:	Group 1
Prize Money:	$750,000

2018 Black Caviar Lightning Results

• 1st: #4 Redkirk Warrior
• 2nd: #1 Redzel
• 3rd: #8 Missrock

Check out the official Black Caviar Lightning 2018 Results & Finishing Order below, following the link to read more on the shock win by the Lindsay Park-trained Redkirk Warrior who flashed home late to run down the odds-on favourite Redzel. Missrock rounded out the trifecta in third. Redkirk Warrior is now three-from-three fresh at the famous Flemington track and returns there on March 20 for a shot at successive Newmarket Handicap wins having taken out the feature last autumn first-up for the first time in a century.

Place	#	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Br.	Weight
1	4	REDKIRK WARRIOR (GB)	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Regan Bayliss	–	7	58.5kg
2	1	REDZEL	Peter & Paul Snowden	Kerrin McEvoy	0.1L	9	58.5kg
3	8	MISSROCK	Robbie Laing	Damien Oliver	1.35L	6	56.5kg
4	7	SUPIDO	Michael Kent	Beau Mertens	1.55L	10	58.5kg
5	5	ROCK MAGIC	Chris Gangemi	Michael Dee	1.75L	1	58.5kg
6	6	BALL OF MUSCLE	Joseph Pride	Craig Williams	3.75L	2	58.5kg
7	3	HEY DOC	Tony McEvoy	Luke Currie	5.75L	3	58.5kg
8	2	TERRAVISTA	Joseph Pride	Mark Zahra	5.85L	4	58.5kg
9	9	SUPER TOO	Marc Conners	Stephen Baster	5.95L	5	56.5kg
10	10	FORMALITY	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Dwayne Dunn	11.95L	8	53.5kg

2018 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes Tips

• 1st: #1 Redzel
• 2nd: #2 Terravista
• 3rd: #9 Super Too

Check out our exclusive Black Caviar Lightning Stakes 2018 Tips & Betting Preview now.

2018 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes Form Guide

Stay tuned for a link to a full Black Caviar Lightning 2018 Form Guide, plus our insider form analysis and Black Caviar Lightning betting facts.

Read our comprehensive 2018 Black Caviar Lighting Form Guide & Betting Preview now.

2018 Black Caviar Lightning Odds

The latest Black Caviar Lightning Stakes 2018 betting odds will be available below the week of the race complete with market links to Ladbrokes.com.au.

2018 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes Field

The Black Caviar Lightning Field attracts a line-up of the autumn’s best sprinters including those spring stars resuming off campaigns the season prior that included runs in races like The Everest and Darley Classic.

The 2018 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes field will be provided below as soon as released by Racing Victoria the Wednesday before the race.

The official Black Caviar Lightning 2018 Final Field drew 10 hopeful sprinters with the odds-on favourite Redzel drawn in gate nine. Last year’s champion Terravista is in gate four looking to win successive editions of the race since Black Caviar (2011-13), while Lindsay Park have accepted for both Redkirk Warrior and the three-year-old filly Formality drawn barriers seven and eight respectively.

Read more on the Redzel-Led 2018 Black Caviar Lightning Field.

#	Form (Last 10)	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Hcp. Rating
1	2211x1111x	REDZEL	Peter & Paul Snowden	Kerrin McEvoy	9	58.5kg	116
2	20x100x02x	TERRAVISTA	Joseph Pride	Mark Zahra	4	58.5kg	113
3	1196x1401x	HEY DOC	Tony McEvoy	Luke Currie	3	58.5kg	113
4	1x105x100x	REDKIRK WARRIOR (GB)	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Regan Bayliss	7	58.5kg	111
5	011x43765x	ROCK MAGIC	Chris Gangemi	Michael Dee	1	58.5kg	106
6	3394x2531x	BALL OF MUSCLE	Joseph Pride	Craig Williams	2	58.5kg	105
7	13x930x15x	SUPIDO	Michael Kent	Beau Mertens	10	58.5kg	103
8	2x1449729x	MISSROCK	Robbie Laing	Damien Oliver	6	56.5kg	104
9	1423x5112x	SUPER TOO	Marc Conners	Stephen Baster	5	56.5kg	95
10	302x11013x	FORMALITY	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Dwayne Dunn	8	53.5kg	102

2018 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes Nominations

The 2018 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes nominations will be published here the Monday of race week.

The official Black Caviar Lightning 2018 Nominations are dominated by returning star Redzel who is after a seventh straight win on the trot first-up following his interstate The Everest – Darley Classic double at the end of the spring. Other standouts in the mix including the Lindsay Park-trained fillies Catchy and Formality, along with Tony McEvoy’s Manikato Stakes winning four-year-old Hey Doc.

Read more on the 2018 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes Nominations.

#	Form (Last 10)	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp. Rating
1	3394x2531x	BALL OF MUSCLE	G	7	Joseph Pride	105
2	110x21330x	CATCHY	F	3	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	102
3	302x11013x	FORMALITY	F	3	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	102
4	1196x1401x	HEY DOC	G	4	Tony McEvoy	113
5	3112x4F54x	LIMESTONE	F	3	Darren Weir	80
6	2x1449729x	MISSROCK	M	4	Robbie Laing	104
7	1x105x100x	REDKIRK WARRIOR (GB)	G	7	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	111
8	2211x1111x	REDZEL	G	5	Peter & Paul Snowden	116
9	011x43765x	ROCK MAGIC	G	8	Chris Gangemi	106
10	1460x4359x	SHEIDEL	M	6	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	109
11	1423x5112x	SUPER TOO	M	4	Marc Conners	95
12	13x930x15x	SUPIDO	H	6	Michael Kent	103
13	20x100x02x	TERRAVISTA	G	8	Joseph Pride	113

Lightning Stakes History

First won by Gay Vista in 1955, the Lightning Stakes has attracted plenty of standout horses, jockeys and trainers. Bart Cummings has won the event a record eight times with Storm Queen in 1967, Century in 1974, Cap D’antibes in 1975, Maybe Mahal in 1977-78, Demus in 1983, Hula Chief in 1986 and Shaftsbury Avenue in 1991.

Jockey Harry White has won the Lightning Stakes on top of four horses, The Judge in 1979, Cap D’antibes in 1975, Zambari in 1972 and Black Onyx in 1970. Damien Oliver has also won four Lightning Stakes races with three horses; Schillaci in 1992-93, Gold Ace in 1996 and Testa Rossa in 2000. There have also been plenty of double winners starting with Sky High in 1961-62, Wenona Girl in 1963-64, Maybe Mahal in 1977-78, River Rough in 1984-85 and Schillci in 1992-93.

In 1980, the Lightning Stakes became a Group 2 race and then seven years later in 1987 it was elevated to Group 1 status. Since 1988, the slowest winning time was recorded by General Nediym in 1998 with 57.9 seconds. The fastest time was 55.5 seconds by Special in 1988.

The 2018 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes results produced a shock winner in Redkirk Warrior who ran down the odds-on favourite Redzel.

The Lightning Stakes has been renamed the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes in honour of champion sprinter Black Caviar.

Recent Lightning Stakes Winners

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2019 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	TBD	TBD
	2nd	TBD
	3rd	TBD
2018 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Redkirk Warrior	56.33 seconds
	2nd	Redzel
	3rd	Missrock
2017 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Terravista	57.26 seconds
	2nd	Spieth
	3rd	Star Turn
2016 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Chautauqua	57.02 seconds
	2nd	Terravista
	3rd	Japonisme
2015 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Lankan Rupee	56.29 seconds
	2nd	Brazen Beau
	3rd	Deep Field
2014 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Snitzerland	57.16 seconds
	2nd	Shamexpress
	3rd	Samaready
2013 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Black Caviar	55.42 seconds
	2nd	Moment Of Change
	3rd	Golden Archer
2012 Lightning Stakes	1st	Black Caviar	55.53 seconds
	2nd	Hay List
	3rd	Buffering
2011 Lightning Stakes	1st	Black Caviar	57.20 seconds
	2nd	Hay List
	3rd	Warm Love
2010 Lightning Stakes	1st	Nicconi	57.12 seconds
	2nd	Wanted
	3rd	Shellscrape
2009 Lightning Stakes	1st	Scenic Blast	56.9 seconds
	2nd	Typhoon Zed
	3rd	Grand Duels
2008 Lightning Stakes	1st	Apache Cat	57.3 seconds
	2nd	Swick
	3rd	Stanzout
2007 Lightning Stakes	1st	Miss Andretti	57.2 seconds
	2nd	Magnus
	3rd	Ticklish
2006 Lightning Stakes	1st	Takeover Target	56.8 seconds
	2nd	Gods Own
	3rd	Cape Of Good Hope
2005 Lightning Stakes	1st	Fastnet Rock	57.3 seconds
	2nd	Alinghi
	3rd	Cape Of Good Hope
2004 Lightning Stakes	1st	Regimental Gal	57 seconds
	2nd	Our Egyptian Raine
	3rd	Mistegic
2003 Lightning Stakes	1st	Choisir	56.9 seconds
	2nd	Spinning Hill
	3rd	Azevedo
2002 Lightning Stakes	1st	Spinning Hill	57.1 seconds
	2nd	Mistegic
	3rd	Chong Tong
2001 Lightning Stakes	1st	Sports	57 seconds
	2nd	Black Bean
	3rd	Easy Rocking
2000 Lightning Stakes	1st	Testa Rossa	56 seconds
	2nd	Falvelon
	3rd	Magic Music