Two-year-olds get their last chance at black type this Saturday in the Lightning Stakes at Morphettville, which pits the juveniles against the three-year-olds at weight-for-age.

In recent years it’s a chance they haven’t been taking.

Despite a five-kilo weight pull, the younger brigade struggles to win the Lightning these days. The Price/Kent-trained filly Parlophone in 2020 was the last two-year-old to win it and one of only two in the past 18 years.

It wasn’t always the case. Two-year-olds won 13 of the first 16 editions of the Lightning (1970-85). Three-year-olds now hold a 33-23 advantage over the race’s 56-year history.

Last year’s winner, Cicala, has a benchmark 82 win to show from three starts as a four-year-old in 2025/26.

The best form to emerge from a moderate 2025 Lightning was that of third-placed Sir Now, a dual SA metro winner at four and last-start Group 3 placegetter.

The race does throw up the occasional star — 2016 winner Viddora and 2018 winner Nature Strip went on to win 11 Group 1s and an Everest between them, but it’s been slim pickings since.

All told in Australia this season, there have been 73 black-type races won by two-year-olds (including those restricted to Magic Millions or Inglis graduates).

Unusually, no horse has won more than two. Those with two apiece are, alphabetically, Aristopolos, Aurum Belle, Beatty, Campione D’Italia, Fireball, Gin Twist, Paradoxium, Streisand and Verzain.

After a very quiet year on the juvenile front in 2024/25 (one listed winner), Chris Waller has led the way this season with eight wins including three of our five two-year-old Group 1s. The Hayes brothers (7), Bjorn Baker (5), Ciaron Maher (5) and Phillip Stokes (4) are next.

Among the jockeys James McDonald is a clear leader with seven wins, from Tim Clark and Tommy Berry on four.