Switzerland back at Flemington for Lightning Stakes

The last time Switzerland started at Flemington Racecourse, he won the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds at six furlongs in November.

For his first start of 2025, Switzerland is back at Flemington for Friday’s Group 1 Lightning Stakes at five furlongs, his debut against older horses. Switzerland won a five-furlong handicap at Randwick in his first start in January 2024, unleashing a rally that carried him from sixth in a field of 10 to a comfortable 2 3/4-length win.

In the $629,000 Lightning Stakes, which drew a field of 12, Switzerland will race against fellow 3-year-olds in Growing Empire and Traffic Warden.

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Growing Empire, third in the $1.3 million Coolmore Stakes in his last start, won the Poseidon Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Flemington last September and will race at five furlongs for the first time in the Lightning.

Traffic Warden, 10th in the Coolmore, is a two-time Group 2 winner who won his only start at five furlongs in a minor handicap at Caulfield in December 2023.

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