The Saturday Flemington Racecourse hosts one of the best editions of the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes in recent years, betting tips and the latest odds on the sprint showdown found below.

Flying Artie is the Races.com.au tip to win the 2017 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes first-up at Flemington on Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Just once in the six years has the race attracted a double-figures field, so punters are in for a treat with 13 gallopers in the mix for this season’s $750,000 Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m).

Unlike the years when Black Caviar – who won three on the trot from 2011-13 when the event ran simply as the Lightning Stakes – dominated the show, it is a far more open affair in 2017.

Chautauqua was all the rage last year and was too good form them, but this weekend six of the hopefuls are under $10 for the win in the latest Black Caviar Lightning odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.

The race looks to be the three-year-olds’ for the taking with the returning duo of Star Turn ($4.60) and Flying Artie ($4.80) top fancies in the markets.

Fastnet Rock (2005) was the last of the age group to get the job done, but there’s so much potential in this year’s top juveniles it is hard to see them not finishing somewhere in the money.

Last start Darley Classic runner-up Spieth is also well-supported in the Black Caviar Lightning odds at $5 to continue the gun autumn of jockey Hugh Bowman who rode Winx for her 14^th consecutive win in the Apollo Stakes on Monday.

Earlier in the week we published our exclusive 2017 Black Caviar Lightning Form Guide & Betting Preview and based on the facts and stats uncovered, below are our tips on who to back and who to sack on Saturday.

1^st

#11 Flying Artie ($4.80)

Star Turn is the favourite and comes off the excellent trial, but tipping the class of Flying Artie to prevail and sticking with Mick Price’s Coolmore Stud Stakes winner. Drawn in barrier four, which hasn’t produced a winner since 2001, but jockey Damien Oliver has won this race five times before. This son of Artie Schiller is proven down the straight and even though he’ll be better getting out over 1200m, think he’s going well enough to snare this short sprint first-up taking on the older horses for the first time.

2^nd

#10 Heatherly ($8.50)

Black Caviar has enhanced the record of mares in the Lighting Stakes in recent years, but think this short-distance specialist is good enough to place from her gun barrier three draw. Locally prepared by Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra, this Lonhro four-year-old is still improving and this is her pet distance (8-3-3-2). Was runner-up at Moonee Valley to another Price-trained colt Extreme Choice in the Moir Stakes, and defeated Flying Artie in her lead-up trial into this at Cranbourne.

3^rd

#8 Supido ($7.50)

Luke Nolen rode Black Caviar for her three wins and is back on a genuine Place chance on Saturday aboard the Michael Kent-trained Sebring stallion Supido. While the three-year-olds are all the rage this year, the five-year-olds have the best recent record in this race with five wins in the past 10 years. Has the highest Win Rate of the field (67%) and 89%. Place Rate Good record over these metres, won a lead-up trial, undefeated at Flemington (4-4-0-0) and last seen running third to star Black Heart Bart in The Goodwood back in May.

Whether you’re backing or sacking our 2017 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes tips, make sure you’ve got access to the best betting odds and autumn racing offers online at Ladbrokes.com.au!