Lightning Stakes Review: Another record for Black Caviar

Black Caviar has been give a Timeform Rating of 133+

The undisputed champion sprinter of the world and equal top-rated filly or mare in Timeform history, Black Caviar, made a successful return to the racetrack at Flemington, winning the G1 Lightning Stakes down the straight 1000m...

Her win is unprecedented in Lightning Stakes history, Black Caviar becoming the only horse to win three renewals since the first running back in 1955, stretching her unbeaten winning record to 23 in the process, defeating stable mates Moment Of Change and Golden Archer.

And what a win it was. Resuming from a 238 day break after her heart stopping victory at Royal Ascot in the G1 Diamond Jubilee, there was plenty of nerves before the race from trainer Peter Moody and her connections, however they were soon dispelled as Black Caviar stamped her authority over her seven opponents.

After jumping smartly, Black Caviar was soon idling in front putting behind her amazing sectionals with consummate ease, 800m-600m 10.37 seconds; 600m-400m 10.21 seconds; 400m-200m 10.17 seconds and 200m to finish post 11.05 seconds, her last 600m timed to take 31.36 seconds with the overall race time of 55.42 seconds a new race record, eclipsing the previous record set by Special 28 years ago.

Last year when Black Caviar defeated crack sprinter Hay List she ran a race time of 55.53 seconds with the last 600m coming in 31.82 seconds, so fast closing sectionals are nothing new to the great mare. There is no doubt the Flemington track was very fast this afternoon, with six of the nine races all run within standard time, two on standard time and one outside of standard time. Consequently her timefigure of 123 was held back by the speed of the track.

Black Caviar's first Lightning Stakes win was on her ninth race start, her second Lightning on her 19th race start and today her 23rd run. Pre-race there was conjecture over the quality of the field Black Caviar faced this afternoon. While it could not meet the standard of the 2012 renewal, it was none the less a new group of handy up-and-coming sprinters facing Black Caviar.

In reaching a Timeform value for her performance, the ratings profiles of the runners going into the race along with race standardisation figures were all calculated and considered.

After careful analysis it was clear Black Caviar had not run to her peak Timeform rating of 136 achieved in this race last year, but she had gone close, running to 133+ which included a length allowance above the raw form for the manner of the victory and amount in hand on the line.

A 133+ value is just above the five year Timeform average winning rating for the Lightning and is her second highest winning rating for the race. Black Caviar ran to 131 winning the 2011 renewal.

Other factors considered in assessing Black Caviar to run at 133+ were the performances of second placegetter and stable mate Moment Of Change, the only other Group 1 winner in the race. Moment of Change, in his own right, is an emerging sprinting talent as he showed last campaign with impressive wins the Show County Quality and the G1 Rupert Clarke Stakes. Moody makes no secret of the fact he regards this galloper highly and rightly so.

Moment Of Change ran to a Timeform rating of 123p today, a slight increase on his last start G1 success but, significantly, a figure equal to the five year average Timeform rating for second placegetters in the Lightning Stakes.

Third placegetter Golden Archer, another Moody runner, ran to 108, equal to the Timeform ratings he has been running to of late, however is capable of better under the right conditions.

Whatever way the race is cut and diced, it is clear that Black Caviar is back. Whether she is better after such a long rest to repair all her old aches and pains remains to be seen. The hard cold fact is that she does not have to be to keep winning, provided of course she keeps to weight for age conditions. Certainly a run in the G1 Newmarket Handicap under handicap conditions would be an enormous test for the mighty mare and just maybe, with her racing career rapidly coming to an end, they will avoid subjecting her to any more of those "tests". 

Surely she has nothing left to prove.

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