The forgotten horse in the 2017 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes field Terravista was back to Group 1 winning form for the first time in three years scoring an upset down the Flemington straight in a dramatic edition of the classic.

Terravista surged late to steal the show in the 2017 Black Caviar Lightning down the Flemington straight. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Winner of the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) at the track in the spring of 2014, the now seven-year-old son of Captain Rio proved he still had the speed and class to score at the highest level.

“He’s the thousand metre horse in this field,” Pride said post-win.

“He had the explosive finish there today.

“I never stopped believing in this horse and it was a great result today.”

In a betting market dominated by the three-year-olds, the veteran sprinter went out at juicy odds in the $750,000 Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) on Saturday.

Runner-up to Chautauqua (2016) in the race first-up 12 months ago, this autumn Terravista went one better posting a late victory over the luckless Bryce Heys-trained Spieth who had to settle for second again after being nudged out of last year’s Darley Classic win by the barest of margins.

Former Melbourne Cup winning jockey Corey Brown was back on Terravista for just the second time and made it a perfect record having taken out the 2014 The Shorts in Sydney on him.

“I’ve been lucky on him,” Brown said.

“He’s the best horse on paper, he just needs to get his head right.”

It was Brown’s second Lighting Stakes success after his win aboard Apache Cat back in 2008 and trainer Joe Pride’s first in the short-distance showdown.

A nasty pre-race incident in the barriers saw three horses scratched seconds from the jump including The Quarterback who slipped over and got caught under the gates.

Faatinah and the roughie of the field Orujo were also late scratchings, while Supido was vetted but was passed fit to run.

Race favourite, returning Coolmore Stud Stakes winning colt Flying Artie was slow out of the gates and trapped for a run throughout never really looking a danger.

Star Turn meanwhile with last year’s Black Caviar Lightning winning hoop Dwayne Dunn aboard looked for a trail into the race as the mare Heatherly went forward to lead.

Dunn had Star Turn tucked in just behind the first three in running getting a nice trail from Illustrious Lad and Flamberge near the inside rail.

With 200m left to run, Spieth started to wind-up and was finishing off beautifully.

In the end though it was another disappointing Group 1 second for Heys as Terravista ($14) won by a nose in a photo finish up the middle after coming from nowhere to win right on the line.

“I was lucky enough to get a run between them and once he hit daylight, he launched,” Brown said.

Star Turn for last year’s winning stable held for a good first-up third rounding out the Black Caviar Lightning trifecta.

Pride was quick to credit the well-timed ride on Brown and was impressed enough with the win by Terravista to confirm plans for a Flemington return on March 11 in the $1.25 million Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) on ‘Super Saturday’.

“Watch that ride, it was a gem,” he said.

“He looked like he was going beautifully. A fantastic thrill.

“We’ll bring him back for the Newmarket, we’ll see what they do with the handicap, but that’s the plan.

“Try to race him as much as we can in the next 12 months and hopefully we’ll be back here same time next year.”

To check out the updated 2017 Newmarket Handicap odds on the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes winner Terravista, head to Ladbrokes.com.au now.

2017 Black Caviar Lightning Results & Finishing Order

Flemington Race 8 – 18/02/2017