Chain Of Lightning gunning for The Everest spot

After a long rest, Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s Chain Of Lightning is set to make her return to racing this Saturday. The six-year-old mare is scheduled to run in the Group 3 Vale Black Caviar (1100m) at Caulfield Racecourse.  
 
The betting sites currently have the mare as second-favourite with $4.20 odds to win. If Chain Of Lightning lives up to her odds or wins the race, she could be fast-tracked and put on a path to race in this October’s The Everest at Randwick Racecourse. 

Surface to make the difference 

Chain Of Lightning is a proven sprinter in Group 1 races. The mare’s last start was at the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 in May in Brisbane. Before that, Chain Of Lightning won the Group 1 T J Smith (1200m) at Randwick in April. Overall, she has five wins to her name.  
 
Despite Chain Of Lightning’s track record, her co-trainer Katherine Coleman says the surface quality at Caulfield could make or break the mare’s chances of winning on Saturday. Chain of Lightning won the TJ Smith Stakes on a hard surface, but Coleman says she is much better on soft ground.  
 
“She’s one that we know needs a soft track, so we’ll be doing a little rain dance over the next few days and hoping those showers do hit Caulfield,” Coleman said.  
 
“We’re mindful of what she races on. If it is a firm deck, then she could stay home, as there are still a fair few options of where she could resume. 
 
“With her, it really is just waiting for a suitable surface to see her run at her best,” the trainer explained.  

“Amazing preparation” ahead of spring season 

Chain Of Lightning has been spelled since May after being sold to Yu Long Investments for $2.5 million in this year’s Magic Millions Broodmare Sale.  
 
Coleman says this time off has been great for Chain Of Lightning and that the mare is ready for a big spring season.  
 
“She spelled really well up in Queensland after what was an amazing preparation,” Coleman said. 
 
“She seems to have come in really good order. She seems happy within herself, her soundness is great, and she seems really bright and full of confidence after getting those couple of wins on the board last prep.” 

The Everest spot up for grabs 

Since her win in the TJ Smith Stakes in April, Chain Of Lightning’s name has been thrown around as a horse who could run in this year’s The Everest at Randwick.  
 
We are still over a month away from knowing who will run in the $20 million race, but Chain Of Lightning could really boost her chances of securing a spot if she has a good run this Saturday.  
 
Coleman is less bullish than some horse racing betting experts about Chain Of Lightning’s The Everest chances, but she is hoping her mare can earn a place in the $20 million race.  
 
“It is a little bit difficult to have anything set in stone for her as her program is going to be so track and weather dependent.  
 
“We’re open minded. There are plenty of options, so it will be wherever she gets a suitable track, but if her form warranted it, and she was able to secure a slot in The Everest, then that would be very exciting,” Coleman said.