CAVALRY GIRL ON THE CHARGE IN THE LIGHNING STAKES

By Graham Potter | Thursday, July 23, 2026

Trainer Tom Daberig has shifted his attention from Victoria to South Australia with regard to his smart filly Cavalry Girl … now having set Saturday’s Listed Lightning Stakes over 1050m at Morphettville as the three-year-old’s next assignment.

The daughter of Bivouac has acquitted herself well in all three starts, all at Caulfield, since resuming after four months away from race action … finishing second first-up, just 0.46 lengths behind Saluted (who has won again since that result) … then landing a win (the fourth success of her career) … before finishing second again, this time behind Signature Scent, coming home only a length behind the winner.

Cavalry Girl was partnered in all of those starts by Craig Williams, who also rode the Dabernig trained runner to a victory in her previous preparation, but the responsibility of holding the reins on Cavalry Girl now shifts to Jacob Opperman who will have his first ride on the filly.

The Richard and Chantelle Jolly trained Bardigrub is also right in this.

Like Cavalry Girl, this daughter of Headwater has had three starts since returning from a layoff and she has been a couple of strides away from perfect in those three results.

Bardigrub was narrowly beaten first-up but then produced back-to-back wins meaning that she carries momentum into Saturday’s contest, in which she will be bidding for a hat trick, where she will have the advantage of racing on her home track

Teagan Voorham rode Bardigrub to both of those two recent wins but, again like Cavalry Girl, Bardigrub will have a new rider on board with Rochelle Milnes getting the call-up for Saturday’s contest.

Cavalry Girl is currently the $2.80 favourite. Bardigrub is a $6 chance.

Two runners separate them in the betting … Never Ordinary ($4.20) and Jacaranda ($5).

The Byron Cozamanis trained Never Ordinary has won two out of four starts and she has a Listed race win (in the Dequetteville Stakes) to her credit.

The Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained Jacaranda was a winner on debut and then finished fifth in both the $2 million Inglis Millennium (a race won by Fireball who went on to win the Group 1 Champagne Stakes at Randwick) and the $1 million Inglis Sires Produce (a race won by Campione D’ Italia).

All four of these runners have obvious chances.