Skybird wins her first Group 1 in the Lightning

The horse racing bookmakers will have been rejoicing at the result of the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington on Saturday. A pair of roughies crossed the line first which does make it a tough race to assess for the future.

Sometimes these early prep Group 1’s can be a little tricky. That very much proved to be the case in the Lightning Stakes as a pair of roughies were the first pair across the line. It will be interesting to see how strong the race turns out to be later on in the autumn.

Skybird flies from last to first in the Lightning

The first three across the line in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes were the three mares in the field. That feels apt given the greatest sprinting mare claimed the race herself on three separate occasions.

It was a race where the pace fell apart late on, the first three across the winning line were all in the back four in the early stages. Whether it is a race that will prove to be a reliable guide to the relative ability of each of the participants remains to be seen.

Stretan Angel filled the runner-up spot. She was second in the Goodwood last season behind Benedetta who was behind her on this occasion in third. That pair will both appreciate being put back over 1200m at a later point in their prep.

The disappointments in the race were the three-year-old colts, Switzerland and Growing Empire. The former managed to finish fourth but the latter looked to have taken a big step backwards in terms of mentality.

Mitch Freedman and John Allen combine for the win

It’s 12 years since Mitch Freedman trained his first winner. It took a decade to gain a first Group 1 win courtesy of Attrition in the Toorak handicap in October 2023 with the second coming up much quicker with Skybird.

They have come from just 16 runners at the highest level with three second place finishes and a pair of thirds. Freedman does not run many in a Group 1 but clearly those that he does need serious respect.

It has been a wait since 2023 for John Allen to salute in another Group 1 race. Skybird was the 20th of his career, a win that takes his career ROI to +31.7 when he is riding in a Group 1. That comes from an 11% strike rate which is a solid return for the 40-year-old. It puts him 11 shy of 1200 winners overall in his career.

Could we see Skybird head to Royal Ascot?

It was a fifth win in 12 career starts for Skybird. Although it was the first time that she has got her head in front in a Group 1 contest, she was a Group 2 winner in her autumn prep last year, winning the Tobin Bronze Stakes.

The Newmarket and the William Reid will be her next two targets on home soil. A decision on a potential trip to England and a crack at Royal Ascot in June will be made at a later date. The winner of the Lightning Stakes gets an invitation so she is in if connections feel that is the right move.

Choisir led the way in 2003 after his win in the Lightning, heading to Royal Ascot to win twice. Takeover Target (2006), Miss Andretti (2007), Scenic Blast (2009), Black Caviar (2012) and Nature Strip (2021) all won the race before saluting at Royal Ascot.

The Lightning Stakes just muddied the waters of the sprinting division. As we head into the autumn proper, the strength of this form will be tested. The big sprints on the betting sites will be an interesting story to follow.