
Black Caviar has opened as the odds-on favourite to win the 2011 Lightning Stakes
Betting on the $750,000 Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m), the opening leg of the Global Sprint Challenge, opened at leading online bookmaker Luxbet this morning.
Already the punters are jumping on Black Caviar to increase her unbeaten streak to nine.
Black Caviar opened as the pronounced $1.45 favourite in the Lightning Stakes odds, but big bets on the Bel Esprit mare to score victory first-up on Saturday has seen her quote firm into $1.35 at Luxbet this morning.
Hay List is the $5 second favourite in the Lightning Stakes markets at Luxbet followed by comeback galloper King Pulse at $16.
Both second and third elects have drifted out with all the money on the favourite.
Drawn in barrier 10 for Saturday’s clash, Hay List was at $4.80 earlier while the Michael Moroney-trained King Pulse is out from $13.
Word from Black Caviar’s trainer Moody is that the four-year-old is back better than ever this season.
The Lightning Stakes will be the first run for the queen since her emphatic four length victory in the Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) at Flemington on Emirates Stakes Day, November 6, last spring.
At $5 in the market, however, Hay List is the main danger.
With an imposing record of 12 wins from 15 starts, John McNair’s five-year-old gelding Hay List opened as the short-priced favourite to defeat Black Caviar in the Patinack before the hulking sprinter injured his leg in the lead-up to the highly anticipated clash.
After stringing together four consecutive Group wins including his impressive 2 ½ length victory in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 24, Hay List was eventually defeated by 11 ½ lengths by Black Caviar in the Patinack.
There will still be keen punters out there getting back on the Hay List bandwagon for the Lightning Stakes with the son of Statue Of Liberty reportedly back to his best after being freshened up following the Patinack.
Golden Slipper winning filly Crystal Lily is out from $13 to $18 in the Lightning Stakes markets at Luxbet, the daughter of Stratum set to jump from barrier four with Damien Oliver in the mount.
Crystal Lily is also first-up in the Lighting after her campaign was cut short last August when she injured herself in running 11th in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill.
While Crystal Lily doesn’t look to have the form to beat Black Caviar, she still represents a great Place bet at Luxbet as she is one of the 53.5kg lightweights of the field under the weigh-for-age conditions of the Lighting Stakes.
The next shortest-priced Lightning Stakes contender is Stirling Grove, the three-year-old South Australian galloper paying $26 (out from $17).
Flemington track specialist Grand Duels (barrier five) is at $41 to win, equal odds with talented young filly Warm Love (barrier six).
Meanwhile True Persuasion, who placed behind Hay List and Black Caviar during the spring, is paying $51 out form $31 at Luxbet.
Another Bel Esprit four-year-old Tollesprit and Queensland raider Leapfrog are the roughies of the Lightning Stakes field paying $126 and $251 respectively.
Leading up to Saturday Races.com.au will be publishing the latest Lightning Stakes betting updates and tips so stay tuned.
In the meantime, check out the early Lighting Stakes odds and markets open at Luxbet now.
2011 Lightning Stakes Odds
# | Horse (Barrier) | Odds* |
---|---|---|
1 | HAY LIST (10) | 5.00 |
2 | GRAND DUELS (5) | 41.00 |
3 | TRUE PERSUASION (8) | 51.00 |
4 | LEAPFROG (1) | 251.00 |
5 | TOLLESPRIT (9) | 126.00 |
6 | KING PULSE (3) | 16.00 |
7 | BLACK CAVIAR (2) | 1.35 |
8 | STIRLING GROVE (4) | 26.00 |
9 | CRYSTAL LILY (4) | 18.00 |
10 | WARM LOVE (6) | 41.00 |
*Odds are Fixed Win from Luxbet and subject to change
Photo courtesy (c) Taron Clarke Photography