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The Lightning Stakes, renamed the Black Caviar Lightning, is the first sprinting race of the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival and is a premier weight-for-age event. As a 1000m race, there are no turns and horses just battle it out on the straight of the Flemington race rack.

The $1,000,000 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes is the only 1000m Group 1 race held in Australia and since 2005 it has been the first leg of the Global Sprint Challenge. A possible lead-up to the Lightning Stakes is Caulfield’s Group 2 Rubition Stakes (1200m) on C.F. Orr Stakes Day a fortnight earlier, but many runners take to the track first-up.

The Black Caviar Lightning serves as a nice autumn racing guide to the upcoming Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) the following month back at Flemington and Black Caviar (2011), Lankan Rupee (2014) and Redkirk Warrior (2018) all recent winners of the double.

In 2020 the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes was won by Gytrash who went on to run top three in his next seven starts including running third in that season’s Newmarket Handicap and second in the William Reid Stakes. He also ran third in the spring’s now $20 million The Everest before winning the Winners’ Stakes.

The 2021 Black Caviar Lightning winner Nature Strip would continue on to win that year’s Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes and VRC Classic as well as The Everest.

Nature Strip returned in 2022 as the favourite to defend his title, but after missing the kick he could only manage to run second to his young stablemate Home Affairs in a thrilling photo-finish.

The 2022 Black Caviar Lightning form was franked with the runner-up Nature Strip going on to win a record-equalling third TJ Smith Stakes that autumn in Sydney before a successful international bid winning Royal Ascot’s Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes in 2022 by a big margin.

Nature Strip was disappointing in the 2023 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes results running ninth as the beaten odds-on favourite in a race won first-up by gun 1000m specialist filly Coolangatta.

The 2023 Black Caviar Lightning form was franked with the runner-up I Wish I Win running third next-up in the Newmarket Handicap trifecta before winning Sydney’s TJ Smith Stakes. He returned in the spring for a Group 1 Memsie Stakes third before a second in that year’s The Everest results.

Bella Nipotina meanwhile ran third in the 2023 Black Caviar Lightning before finishing top three in a host of subsequent feature races around the country including a third in the inaugural $4 million The Quokka slot race in WA. She also won the $3 million Winners Stakes in Sydney that spring.

The 2024 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes ran on Saturday February 17, 2024 and was won first-up by Mark Walker’s incredibly consistent mare Imperatriz ($1.60F) who saluted as the odds-on favourite fresh for her ninth elite level win. 

Black Caviar Lightning Stakes 2024
Date:	Saturday February 17, 2024
Track:	Flemington Racecourse
Distance:	1000m
Race Type:	Weight-For-Age
Status:	Group 1
Prize Money:	$1,000,000

2024 Black Caviar Lightning Results

• 1st: #4 Imperatriz ($1.60F)
• 2nd: #1 Private Eye
• 3rd: #5 Espiona

The Flemington faithful witnessed a heart-stopping duel in the Black Caviar Lightning 2024 results. Champion mare Imperatriz, the $1.60 favourite, dug deep to fend off a tenacious Private Eye in a thrilling two-horse battle to the line. This victory marks Imperatriz’s ninth Group 1 triumph, solidifying her place among the elite.

Click here to read more on the narrow first-up Black Caviar Lightning victory by Imperatriz.

2024 Black Caviar Lightning Results & Finishing Order

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2024 Black Caviar Lightning Betting Odds

The latest Black Caviar Lightning Stakes 2024 betting odds will be available below the week of the race complete with market links to Ladbrokes.com.au.

There was a notable upset in 2023 with the filly Coolangatta winning at $9 while the odds-on favourite Nature Strip finished a flat sixth.

Imperatriz ($1.60 in 2024) is the last Black Caviar Lightning betting favourite to win.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST 2024 BLACK CAVIAR LIGHTNING ODDS (Final Field)

2024 Black Caviar Lightning Form Guide

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2024 BLACK CAVIAR LIGHTNING FORM GUIDE

2024 Black Caviar Lightning Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Black Caviar Lightning 2024 Tips on the short-distance sprint classic this autumn.

• To Win: #4 Imperatriz ($1.90 at time of publish) – BET NOW

All eyes are on the reigning sprint queen, Imperatriz, as she gears up for her first new season run. The Mark Walker-trained superstar is the undisputed favourite, her odds reflecting her dominance. This daughter of I Am Invincible boasts an impressive $5.36 million in stakes earnings, with eight Group 1 victories under her belt across Australia and New Zealand. Her recent form is nothing short of stellar, claiming five consecutive wins last season, including four prestigious Group 1 races in Melbourne: the William Reid, Moir Stakes, Manikato Stakes, and the VRC Champions Sprint right here at Flemington. Her talent, experience, and proven track record at the distance make her a force to be reckoned with. Back don’t sack.

2024 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes Field

The Black Caviar Lightning Field attracts a line-up of the autumn’s best sprinters including those spring stars resuming off campaigns the season prior that included runs in races like The Everest and VRC Classic.

Nature Strip (2021) completed the Black Caviar Lightning – The Everest – VRC Classic treble.

The 2024 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes field will be provided below as soon as released by Racing Victoria the Wednesday before the race.

Imperatriz kicks off her autumn as the odds-on favourite from barrier two in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes 2024 field at Flemington on Saturday.

Click here to read more on the key runners in the Black Caviar Lightning 2024 field and betting markets.

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Probable Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	7x405x132x	PRIVATE EYE	Joseph Pride	Blake Shinn	8	58.5kg			115
2	x062725x95	THE ASTROLOGIST	Leon & Troy Corstens	Luke Currie	7	58.5kg			104
3	236x33315x	BELLA NIPOTINA	Ciaron Maher	Craig Williams	6	56.5kg			114
4	1121x1111x	IMPERATRIZ	Mark Walker	Opie Bosson	2	56.5kg			119
5	117x21714x	ESPIONA	Chris Waller	Michael Dee	4	56.5kg			112
6	x1135x3534	RICH FORTUNE	Jerome Hunter	Mark Zahra	1	56.5kg			84
7	127x11350x	CYLINDER	James Cummings	Damian Lane	5	55.5kg			107
8	11x3222x	I AM UNSTOPPABLE	Lloyd Kennewell & Lucy Yeomans	Ms Jamie Kah	3	55.5kg			100

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2024 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes Nominations

The 2024 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes nominations will be published here the Monday of race week.

The Black Caviar Lightning 2024 nominations drew just eight early entries dominated by Mark Walker’s eight-time Group 1 winning mare Imperatriz last seen Moir – Manikato – Champions Sprint treble in the spring.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Ballot	Weight	True Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	1121x1111x	IMPERATRIZ	M	5	Mark Walker	1	56.5kg			119
2	7x405x132x	PRIVATE EYE	G	6	Joseph Pride	2	58.5kg			115
3	236x33315x	BELLA NIPOTINA	M	6	Ciaron Maher	3	56.5kg			114
4	117x21714x	ESPIONA	M	5	Chris Waller	4	56.5kg			112
5	127x11350x	CYLINDER	C	3	James Cummings	5	55.5kg			107
6	x062725x95	THE ASTROLOGIST	G	7	Leon & Troy Corstens	6	58.5kg			104
7	11x3222x	I AM UNSTOPPABLE	C	3	Lloyd Kennewell & Lucy Yeomans	7	55.5kg			100
8	x1135x3534	RICH FORTUNE	M	4	Jerome Hunter	8	56.5kg			84

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Lightning Stakes History

First won by Gay Vista in 1955, the Lightning Stakes has attracted plenty of standout horses, jockeys and trainers.

Bart Cummings has won the event a record eight times with Storm Queen in 1967, Century in 1974, Cap D’antibes in 1975, Maybe Mahal in 1977-78, Demus in 1983, Hula Chief in 1986, and Shaftsbury Avenue in 1991.

Jockey Harry White has won the Lightning Stakes on top of four horses: The Judge in 1979, Cap D’antibes in 1975, Zambari in 1972, and Black Onyx in 1970.

Damien Oliver has also won four Lightning Stakes races with three horses; Schillaci in 1992-93, Gold Ace in 1996 and Testa Rossa in 2000. There have also been plenty of double winners starting with Sky High in 1961-62, Wenona Girl in 1963-64, Maybe Mahal in 1977-78, River Rough in 1984-85 and Schillci in 1992-93.

In 1980, the Lightning Stakes became a Group 2 race and then seven years later in 1987 it was elevated to Group 1 status.

The 2018 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes results produced a shock winner in Redkirk Warrior who ran down the odds-on favourite Redzel. Redkirk Warrior would go on to also successfully defend his title in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap.

Trainer Chris Waller ran the quinella in the Black Caviar Lightning in both 2021 with Nature Strip and September Run, and 2022 with Home Affairs and Nature Strip.

Home Affairs made history with his upset win in 2022 becoming the first three-year-old Lightning Stakes winner in 17 years since the 2005 victory of Fastnet Rock.

The Lightning Stakes has been renamed the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes in honour of champion sprinter Black Caviar.

In 2023 Coolangatta became the first three-year-old filly to win the Lightning Stakes since Regimental Gal (2004).

Imperatriz (2024) is the latest Black Caviar Lightning winning mare.

Recent Lightning Stakes Winners

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2024 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Imperatriz	57.54 seconds
	2nd	Private Eye
	3rd	Espiona
2023 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Coolangatta	56.46 seconds
	2nd	I Wish I Win
	3rd	Bella Nipotina
2022 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Home Affairs	56.64 seconds
	2nd	Nature Strip
	3rd	Eduardo
2021 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Nature Strip	56.91 seconds
	2nd	September Run
	3rd	Swats That
2020 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Gytrash	57.53 seconds
	2nd	Redzel
	3rd	Loving Gaby
2019 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	In Her Time	56.69 seconds
	2nd	Osborne Bulls
	3rd	Sunlight
2018 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Redkirk Warrior	56.33 seconds
	2nd	Redzel
	3rd	Missrock
2017 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Terravista	57.26 seconds
	2nd	Spieth
	3rd	Star Turn
2016 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Chautauqua	57.02 seconds
	2nd	Terravista
	3rd	Japonisme
2015 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Lankan Rupee	56.29 seconds
	2nd	Brazen Beau
	3rd	Deep Field
2014 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Snitzerland	57.16 seconds
	2nd	Shamexpress
	3rd	Samaready
2013 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes	1st	Black Caviar	55.42 seconds
	2nd	Moment Of Change
	3rd	Golden Archer
2012 Lightning Stakes	1st	Black Caviar	55.53 seconds
	2nd	Hay List
	3rd	Buffering
2011 Lightning Stakes	1st	Black Caviar	57.20 seconds
	2nd	Hay List
	3rd	Warm Love
2010 Lightning Stakes	1st	Nicconi	57.12 seconds
	2nd	Wanted
	3rd	Shellscrape
2009 Lightning Stakes	1st	Scenic Blast	56.9 seconds
	2nd	Typhoon Zed
	3rd	Grand Duels
2008 Lightning Stakes	1st	Apache Cat	57.3 seconds
	2nd	Swick
	3rd	Stanzout
2007 Lightning Stakes	1st	Miss Andretti	57.2 seconds
	2nd	Magnus
	3rd	Ticklish
2006 Lightning Stakes	1st	Takeover Target	56.8 seconds
	2nd	Gods Own
	3rd	Cape Of Good Hope
2005 Lightning Stakes	1st	Fastnet Rock	57.3 seconds
	2nd	Alinghi
	3rd	Cape Of Good Hope
2004 Lightning Stakes	1st	Regimental Gal	57 seconds
	2nd	Our Egyptian Raine
	3rd	Mistegic
2003 Lightning Stakes	1st	Choisir	56.9 seconds
	2nd	Spinning Hill
	3rd	Azevedo
2002 Lightning Stakes	1st	Spinning Hill	57.1 seconds
	2nd	Mistegic
	3rd	Chong Tong
2001 Lightning Stakes	1st	Sports	57 seconds
	2nd	Black Bean
	3rd	Easy Rocking
2000 Lightning Stakes	1st	Testa Rossa	56 seconds
	2nd	Falvelon
	3rd	Magic Music

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