The three three-year-olds Star Turn, Flying Artie and Missrock are set to take on the older horses down the Flemington straight in the Group 1 $750,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) on Saturday.
Flying Artie, above in pink and black colours, will be one of 3 3yos lining up in the Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
A final field of thirteen has been assembled for the Group 1 weight for age dash over 1000m with Star Turn and Flying Artie set to fight it out for favouritism while last start Crown Oaks fifth placed Missrock will be one of the outsiders of the field.
Star Turn has drawn barrier two with Dwayne Dunn back in the saddle after the pair finished third to Flying Artie in the Group 1 $500,000 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on the first day of the 2016 four day Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Both colts haven’t raced since and Damien Oliver will back in the in the saddle on Flying Artie (barrier 4) in the Black Caviar Lightning replacing Hugh Bowman who steered the Artie Schiller colt to victory in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.
The Mick Price trained Flying Artie was undefeated from two starts during the 2016 Melbourne Spring Carnival and also beat his own age group in the Group 3 $350,000 Catanach’s Jewellers Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
The Team Hawkes trained Star Turn was also a dual winner during the Spring when he beat the three year olds in the Group 3 $150,000 Smithfield RSL Club San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill and then beat the older horses two starts later in the Group 2 $400,000 Mitsubishi Electric Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
Trainer Bryce Heys is hoping for his breakthrough Group 1 win with Spieth who has drawn barrier five in the Black Caviar Lightning with Hugh Bowman to ride.
Spieth will be having his first run back since going agonisingly close to claiming victory in the Group 1 $1m Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington on the last day of the 2016 Melbourne Cup Carnival when a nose second to Malaguerra.
Heatherly has a good fresh record and will be having her first run back since running second to Extreme Choice in the Group 1 $500,000 Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on September 30.
Damian Lane will continue his association with the Matthew Ellerton and Simon Zahra trained mare who has drawn barrier three in the Black Caviar Lightning.
Faatinah will race with the blinkers on for the first time and has drawn barrier eleven with Regan Bayliss to ride while trainer Chris Waller is still searching for a replacement rider for Counterattack after Craig Newitt, who was booked to ride, was suspended for careless riding at Sale on Tuesday and will Black Caviar Lightning Day.
