Believe it or not, the first Group 1 of 2026 is here already, with Flemington hosting the Black Caviar Lightning.

Exciting Godolphin colt Tentyris resumes in the Lightning, looking to pick up where he left off in spring, winning a major down the straight. 

Elsewhere on the Flemington card, the Australian Guineas-bound three-year-olds battle it out in the C.S. Hayes Stakes for males and the Desirable Stakes for fillies. Over the same 1400-metre trip, the older horses battle it out in the Elms Handicap (open) and Frances Tressady (fillies and mares). The two-year-olds get a last shot at Blue Diamond qualification in the Talindert Stakes.

Meanwhile at Randwick there's four group races on offer: The Expressway (open), Light Fingers (three-year-old fillies) and Triscay (mares) are over 1200 metres, while some of the top weight-for-agers will be back in the Apollo (1400m).

You'll find Australia's best form guide for Saturday's Flemington, Randwick, Eagle Farm and Morphettville meetings in this week's Best Bets.

On pages 4 and 5 you'll find four-state selections from some of the nation's leading form analysts as well as our popular Black Bookers, Sectional Stars and Video Stars features.

Best Bets ($7) is on sale Thursday morning in NSW newsagents, Friday elsewhere.