Lightning Stakes
Encyclopedia
The Lightning Stakes is a Group 1
Australia
n thoroughbred
horse race at Weight for Age
, run over a distance of 1000 metres at Flemington Racecourse
, Melbourne
in February. Prizemoney is A$750,000. The Lightning Stakes forms the first leg of the three leg Autumn sprint series over the Melbourne carnival, preceded by the G1 Oakleigh Plate
(1100m, open handicap) at Caulfield Racecourse
on the third Saturday in February and the G1 Newmarket Handicap
(1200m, open handicap), Australia's most famous sprinting handicap, also run at Flemington on the first Saturday in March. Horses contesting this race may also head to the G1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley Racecourse
, run at 1200m at weight-for-age on the second Saturday in February.
Group One
Group One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horse race at Weight for Age
Weight for Age
Weight for Age is a term in Thoroughbred horse racing which is one of the conditions for a race. It means that a horse will carry a set weight in accordance with the Weight for Age Scale. This weight varies depending on the horse’s age, its sex, the race distance and the month of the year...
, run over a distance of 1000 metres at Flemington Racecourse
Flemington Racecourse
Flemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup, which is Australia's richest horse race. The racecourse is situated on low alluvial flats, next to the Maribyrnong River...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in February. Prizemoney is A$750,000. The Lightning Stakes forms the first leg of the three leg Autumn sprint series over the Melbourne carnival, preceded by the G1 Oakleigh Plate
Oakleigh Plate
The Oakleigh Plate is a Group 1 Australian thoroughbred open handicap horse race, run over a distance of 1100 metres at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne in February. Its prizemoney in 2010 was A$351,000...
(1100m, open handicap) at Caulfield Racecourse
Caulfield Racecourse
Caulfield Racecourse is one of Melbourne, Australia's best-known horse-racing tracks. Commonly known as "The Heath" by local racegoers, it is located eight kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, on the boundary of Caulfield and Caulfield East in Melbourne's south eastern suburbs...
on the third Saturday in February and the G1 Newmarket Handicap
Newmarket Handicap
The Newmarket Handicap is a VRC Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. The event is an open handicap race over 1200 metres...
(1200m, open handicap), Australia's most famous sprinting handicap, also run at Flemington on the first Saturday in March. Horses contesting this race may also head to the G1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley Racecourse
Moonee Valley Racecourse
Moonee Valley Racecourse is a horse-racing track in Melbourne, Australia which hosts races for Thoroughbreds. Located six kilometers from the Melbourne CBD, it is the home of the Moonee Valley Racing Club...
, run at 1200m at weight-for-age on the second Saturday in February.
- Since 2005 the race has been the first leg of the Global Sprint ChallengeGlobal Sprint ChallengeThe Global Sprint Challenge is a Thoroughbred horse racing series inaugurated in 2005 as a series of six sprint races run across three racing jurisdictions in Australia, England and Japan. In 2006 the series expanded to seven races across four racing jurisdictions with the inclusion of a race in...
, followed by the Australia StakesAustralia StakesThe William Reid Stakes, formerly Australia Stakes, is a Group 1 Australian thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, run over a distance of 1200 metres at Moonee Valley Racecourse, Melbourne in February. Prizemoney in 2010 was A$500,000....
and from 2008 followed by the King's Stand StakesKing's Stand StakesThe King's Stand Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...
when the Australia StakesAustralia StakesThe William Reid Stakes, formerly Australia Stakes, is a Group 1 Australian thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, run over a distance of 1200 metres at Moonee Valley Racecourse, Melbourne in February. Prizemoney in 2010 was A$500,000....
was replaced as a leg of the series by The Age ClassicThe Age ClassicThe Patinack Farm Classic is a Victoria Racing Club Group One Australian Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over, under weight for age conditions, over a distance of 1200 metres...
. Until Nicconi's defeat in the 2010 King's Stand StakesKing's Stand StakesThe King's Stand Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...
at Royal Ascot held in June, this race has proved an outstanding guide to the winner of that race, with Choisir (2003), Takeover TargetTakeover TargetTakeover Target is a much travelled Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who has won top sprinting races in each of the five major cities in Australia as well as the United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore....
(2006), Miss AndrettiMiss AndrettiMiss Andretti was the 2007 Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year and is the only Thoroughbred in racing history to simultaneously hold a total of five track records in Australia and England.-Breeding:...
(2007) and Scenic BlastScenic BlastScenic Blast is a Thoroughbred racehorse trained in Australia. His first group win was in the HDF McNeil Stakes. In 2009, he won two group one races, the Lightning Stakes and the King's Stand Stakes.-References:**...
(2009) all winning this race before subsequently winning at Royal Ascot later that year.
- In 2007 the race was run at Moonee Valley RacecourseMoonee Valley RacecourseMoonee Valley Racecourse is a horse-racing track in Melbourne, Australia which hosts races for Thoroughbreds. Located six kilometers from the Melbourne CBD, it is the home of the Moonee Valley Racing Club...
due to refurbishment work at Flemington RacecourseFlemington RacecourseFlemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup, which is Australia's richest horse race. The racecourse is situated on low alluvial flats, next to the Maribyrnong River...
.
Class
- 1955 - 1979 was a Principal race
- 1980 - 1986 was a Group 2 race
- 1987 onwards was a Group 1 race
The winners
- 2011 - Black CaviarBlack Caviar (horse)Black Caviar is an undefeated Australian Thoroughbred racehorse, considered to be the best sprinter in the world, having been named WTRR World Champion Sprinter in 2010. On 31 March 2011 Black Caviar was rated one of the top Thoroughbred racehorses in the world for the first quarter of 2011 by...
- 2010 - Nicconi
- 2009 - Scenic BlastScenic BlastScenic Blast is a Thoroughbred racehorse trained in Australia. His first group win was in the HDF McNeil Stakes. In 2009, he won two group one races, the Lightning Stakes and the King's Stand Stakes.-References:**...
- 2008 - Apache CatApache CatApache Cat is a popular Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who had 43 starts for 19 wins and was placed on another 11 occasions from for just under $4.6 million in prizemoney....
- 2007 - Miss AndrettiMiss AndrettiMiss Andretti was the 2007 Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year and is the only Thoroughbred in racing history to simultaneously hold a total of five track records in Australia and England.-Breeding:...
- 2006 - Takeover TargetTakeover TargetTakeover Target is a much travelled Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who has won top sprinting races in each of the five major cities in Australia as well as the United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore....
- 2005 - Fastnet RockFastnet Rock (horse)Fastnet Rock is an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse stallion.Sired by Danehill to dam Piccadilly Circus, he started his racing career in 2004. Though he did not win any races as a two-year-old, he ran third in the Group One AJC Sires Produce Stakes. He found great success after turning three years...
- 2004 - Regimental Gal
- 2003 - ChoisirChoisirChoisir is an Australian-bred dual hemisphere-winning Thoroughbred racehorse. He became the first Australian-trained winner of the Group Two King's Stand Stakes...
- 2002 - Spinning Hill
- 2001 - Sports
- 2000 - Testa Rossa
- 1999 - Isca
- 1998 - General Nediym
- 1997 - MahoganyMahogany (horse)Mahogany was an Australian thoroughbred who raced in the mid-1990s. He was aimed at the three-year-old staying events, where he won the Victoria Derby and the Australian Derby. But as an older horse he usually was restricted to sprint races.The notable exception was the 1995 W.S. Cox Plate where...
- 1996 - Gold Ace
- 1995 - MahoganyMahogany (horse)Mahogany was an Australian thoroughbred who raced in the mid-1990s. He was aimed at the three-year-old staying events, where he won the Victoria Derby and the Australian Derby. But as an older horse he usually was restricted to sprint races.The notable exception was the 1995 W.S. Cox Plate where...
- 1994 - Keltrice
- 1993 - Schillaci
- 1992 - Schillaci
- 1991 - Shaftesbury AvenueShaftesbury Avenue (horse)Shaftesbury Avenue was a versatile Australian racehorse who won Group One races from 1,000 to 2,000 metres, and was placed in the Japan Cup over 2,400 metres. He was a regular rival of Super Impose, and the head-to-head scoreline read four apiece in their eight clashes: Super Impose won the big...
- 1990 - RedelvaRedelvaRedelva was a notable Australian thoroughbred racehorse.A chestnut son of Romantic Hope from the mare Delvena, he was foaled in 1983 and was trained throughout his career by Greg Varcoe....
- 1989 - Zeditave
- 1988 - Special
- 1987 - Placid ArkPlacid ArkPlacid Ark was an Australian thoroughbred foaled in Western Australia. His sire Arkenstone was a winning son of the Western Australian champion sire Zvornik and his dam was Northern Queen a mare bred in South Australia by the USA imported stallion Star of the North.Bred at Asprey Stud near...
- 1986 - Hula Chief
- 1985 - River Rough
- 1984 - River Rough
- 1983 - Demus
- 1982 - He's A Haze
- 1981 - Countess Marizza
- 1980 - Sportscast
- 1979 - The Judge
- 1978 - Maybe Mahal
- 1977 - Maybe Mahal
- 1976 - Desirable
- 1975 - Cap D'antibes
- 1974 - Century
- 1973 - Make Mine Roses
- 1972 - Zambari
- 1971 - Dual Choice
- 1970 - Black Onyx
- 1969 - Mister Hush
- 1968 - Begonia Belle
- 1967 - Storm QueenStorm QueenStorm Queen was a notable Australian thoroughbred racehorse.A bay daughter of Coronation Boy from the mare Storm Gleam, she was foaled in 1963 and was trained throughout her career by Bart Cummings....
- 1966 - Citius
- 1965 - Marmion
- 1964 - Wenona GirlWenona GirlWenona Girl was a leading Australian Thoroughbred racemare that had 27 wins over distances ranging from 4½ furlongs to 1½ miles. She won 22 principal races, 15 of which were later designated group one races...
- 1963 - Wenona GirlWenona GirlWenona Girl was a leading Australian Thoroughbred racemare that had 27 wins over distances ranging from 4½ furlongs to 1½ miles. She won 22 principal races, 15 of which were later designated group one races...
- 1962 - Sky HighSky High (horse)Sky High was an outstanding Australian Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Some of his major race victories include the 1960 STC Golden Slipper Stakes, 1960 VRC Derby, 1961 and 1962 VRC Lightning Stakes and the 1961 AJC Epsom Handicap.-Breeding:...
- 1961 - Sky HighSky High (horse)Sky High was an outstanding Australian Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Some of his major race victories include the 1960 STC Golden Slipper Stakes, 1960 VRC Derby, 1961 and 1962 VRC Lightning Stakes and the 1961 AJC Epsom Handicap.-Breeding:...
- 1960 - TodmanTodmanTodman was one of the greatest Australian Thoroughbred racehorses and an important sire. He was perhaps best known as the winner of the inaugural STC Golden Slipper in 1957, being the first of Star Kingdom’s five successive winners of the race...
- 1959 - Ritmar
- 1958 - Misting
- 1957 - Copper Year
- 1956 - Apple Bay
- 1955 - Gay Vista