Coolangatta winning the 2023 Black Caviar Lightning
Her name may be the same as the Gold Coast town, but three year old filly, Coolangatta, was the heroine of Melbourne after her determined win in the feature race at Flemington on Saturday afternoon.
This was my first outing to the racetrack since the Spring Racing Carnival, and I chose well, as the afternoon was sunny but not overly hot after a cool change on Friday brought a welcome end to the three day heat wave.
Obliged by the Flemington Racecourse train timetable, I arrived at the track in time to witness Race 3, the Talindert Stakes for two year old contenders, run over over 1100 metres. In the past this race has been won by classy youngsters, such as All Too Hard in 2012.
Flemington wasn’t crowded by any means, so it was easy to get around, so I headed directly to my favourite spot on the Western Front Lawn to get some photo practice before the main event later in the day.
Maharba started as the favourite and won the race by a length from Hell Queen with Tacito running third.
Maharba wins the Talindert Stakes
I decided that I didn’t mind missing Race 4, the Asian Racing Federation Trophy, so made my way to the stalls area to get photos of the main contenders in the feature Black Caviar Lightning.
Nature Strip – favourite for the Lightning
Coolangatta
I Wish I Win
Race 5 was the more interesting Tony Bourke Memorial, usually run as the Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes over 1400 metres and for fillies and mares.
Annavisto who won the race last year, started as the warm favourite was victorious again , leading from the start to win by over three lengths from Wrote to Arataki with Excelida running third.
Annavisto crosses the finish line unopposed
Annavisto returns to scale
Wrote to Arataki on her way to the barriers
As the Black Caviar Lightning was scheduled as as Race 7, there was still one more race to run before the feature. This was the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes for three year old colts and geldings and also run over 1400 metres
A large field of 14 starters were contesting the event with the favourite being Bank Maur. He ended up unplaced with victory going to Elliptical who narrowly won from Holymanz and Maximillius.
A wall of horses crosses the finish line in the CS Hayes – Elliptical is the widest in red silks
Elliptical on his way to the barriers
Holymanz on his way to the barriers
A pretty good field had accepted for the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning and included Nature Strip, acknowledged as the world’s top sprinter. He naturally was the hot favourite, but was disappointing, failing to run a place. The sole three year old filly Coolangatta, taking advantage of her weight advantage, and skilfully steered by top Jockey Jamie Kah, won the prize from the fast finishing I Wish I Win with Bella Nipotina filling third place, just ahead of September Run.
It was a surprise result, but Coolangatta is no slouch as a race horse having won the 2022 Magic Millions 2yo Classic and also the Group 1 Moir Stakes last year. It will be interesting to see how she performs in the future.
Bella Nipotina and Coolangatta return to scale side by side
Coolangatta returns to scale
I Wish I Win returns to scale
Nature Strip returns to scale
The run of the race was no doubt I Wish I Win, who ran from last at the speed of lightning to narrowly miss out on winning.
He’s also one to watch for in the future.
I called it quits after that and headed home, glad to have witnessed yet another exciting running of the Black Caviar Lightning and seeing Nature Strip once more. He’s now 8 years old and in the twilight of his illustrious career, so there won’t be many more chances to see him in action in the future.
