Felines Heads 2017 Lightning Handicap Field & Odds

Kris Lees’ smart mare Felines may be allocated top weight but she is still leading the current markets on the Lightning Handicap 2017 field for the Doomben black-type sprint on Queensland Oaks Day.

Top weight Felines leads the 2017 Lightning Stakes Field & Betting for the short distance sprint at Doomben this Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

Due to run as Doomben Race 5 at 2:40pm (AEST) on Saturday afternoon after the race meeting was moved from Eagle Farm, this season’s $100,000 Listed Lightning Handicap takes place over 1050m and features a capacity field.

Giving the weight away under 60kg with Hugh Bowman to ride from a nice barrier six draw is the current $4.80 favourite in Lightning Handicap betting Felines.

Two back the five-year-old daughter of Conatus enjoyed a win in the Hawkesbury Rush (1100m) before her last start fifth in the Listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m) at scone.

She is a genuine short sprint specialist with outstanding form over the Lightning Handicap distance (24-9-2-4) and the bookies are taking no chances with her over these metres at this class even with the weight.

Close second favourite at Lightning Stakes odds of $5.50 is the in-form Snitty Kitty getting in on the 54kg minimum.

Drawn one inside the favourite with barrier five, the Henry Dwyer-trained Snitzel filly has run top two in her four latest runs around this distance.

She may be a three-year-old taking on the more experienced runners here but her lead-up has been outstanding including a last start second to Miss Debutante in the Listed Denises Joy (1100m) from a wide alley (15 of 16) on May 13.

Drawn for a better run from the gate on Saturday, the progressive filly shapes-up as a genuine hope to add to her good record over the metres (7-3-2-0).

Three others are also under double figures for the win including the early market mover Prompt Return ($7) drawn the rails with Jeff Lloyd continuing his association with the Gold Coast-trained four-year-old.

Prepared by Toby Edmonds the son of Beneteau saluted over 900m in the Bat Out Of Hell at home on May 6 before things went amiss at Doomben a fortnight ago.

Prompt Return finished four and a half lengths back 11^th to The Virginian in the Listed Chief De Beers (1050m) over the same track and distance he sees on Saturday when struggling on the Heavy (9) course.

Doomben is currently rated a Good (4) ahead of Saturday’s meeting and a firmer track will be the key to seeing Prompt Response bounce back and return to form.

Rounding out the hopes under $10 are the flying David Vandyke-trained mare Invincible Express ($9) who has an outstanding strike-rate over the distance (8-5-2-0) and the race’s sole emergency Colinelle ($9.50) who is sweating on a start.

Check out the full Lightning Handicap 2017 field, barriers, jockeys, weights and latest Fixed Win odds on the sprint below before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au to back your selections at the right price this winter.