One of the first Group 1 showdowns of the 2011 Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival is the $750,000 Lightning Stakes (1000m) set to take place at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday February 19.

This season’s Melbourne Autumn Carnival gets into full swing on February 12 with the 2011 CF Orr Stakes Day meeting at Caulfield before the action moves to Flemington for Lightning Stakes Day.

Featuring a great race-card with three stakes events, the Lightning Stakes is the headline event while the $200,000 Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1200m) for three-year-old colts and geldings and the $200,000 Group 3 The Mitty’s Vanity (1200m) for three-year-old fillies are the day’s other highlights.

The best lead-up race to the 2011 Lightning Stakes is the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) which is the first Group race feature in Melbourne for the season, set to run at Moonee Valley under the lights on Friday night, January 28.

Horses in the Lightning Stakes field may also come via the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on February 5.

The next major target for many of the top sprinters that contest the Lightning Stakes will be the $400,000 Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) on Blue Diamond Stakes Day at Caulfield on Saturday February 26.

This year’s Lightning Stakes is shaping up as brilliant race not to miss with the likes of Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily, the super consistent Hay List and the world’s highest rated sprinter Black Caviar heading towards the event.

The nominations for the 2011 Coolmore Lightning Stakes will be taken on February 14 and then the final field of acceptances comes out on February 16 and will be published right here at Races.com.au along with the race form guide, betting tips and odds.

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