The 2017 Group 1 $500,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday has attracted plenty of nominations with twenty three-year-old fillies entered.
Crown Oaks winner Lasqueti Spirit, above, is among the nominations for the 2017 Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Crown Oaks winner Lasqueti Spirit, Kiwi filly La Bella Diosa and the Chris Waller’s last start winner Foxplay head up the nominations for the Group 1 for the fillies.
The Lee Curtis trained Lasqueti Spirit led all of the way to record a spectacular win in the Group 1 $1m Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington during the 2016 Melbourne Spring Carnival and returned for the Autumn with a first up tenth to Winx in the Group 2 $250,000 The Star Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on February 13.
Lasqueti Spirit then showed massive improvement at her second run back for a second to the champion mare in the Group 1 $600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on February 25 before running seventh to Tavago in the Group 3 $350,000 McGrath Estate Agents Sky High Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 11.
The Mandy and Matt Brown trained La Bella Diosa has mixed her form since stepping foot in Australia and after an impressive win on a heavy track in the Group 2 $200,000 Theraces.com.au Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on February 25, failed to bet a runner home in the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill on March 11.
Lasqueti Spirit is also nominated for the weight for age Group 1 $1.5m The BMW (2400m) on the same day.
Foxplay finally lived up to her Spring Carnival form with a hard fought win in the Group 2 $200,000 Cellarbrations Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 11, taking her Group 2 winning tally to three after collecting a double at Randwick during the 2016 Spring Carnival with victories in the $175,000 Fitzy & Wippa’s Fast & Furious Stakes (1200m) and in the $175,000 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m).
Waller has also nominated Foxplay’s stablemate Dawn Wall for the Vinery Stud Stakes and the Fastnet Rock filly is chasing her fourth win on the trot after scoring a hat trick with her win in the Group 3 $200,000 Arrowfield Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) at Kembla Grange on March 10.
Cassadee has impressed her co-trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott with wins at her last two starts at Sandown and Moonee Valley and will use the Vinery Stud Stakes as an important lead up to the Group 1 $1m James Boag’s Premium Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on April 8.
“We’ve got her nominated for the Oaks so we’ll take her back to Sydney now,” Bott said.
“The Vinery Stud Stakes would be the preferred option into the Oaks.”
The Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig has nominated Harlow Gold and Sebring Dream for the Vinery Stud Stakes and both fillies are ready to step up the 2000m with each having two Autumn runs under their belts.
Crown Oaks runner up Harlow Gold resumed for a third to Kenedna in the Group 3 $150,000 The Vanity (1400m) at Flemington on February 18 followed by a fourth to Hey Doc in the Group 1 $750,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 4.
Sebring Dream has been racing in slightly lesser company for a first up win in a 1300m F&M BenchMark 70 Handicap at Sandown on February 22 followed by an eighth to Circular in the Group 3 $150,000 Schweppervescence Trophy (1600m) at Flemington on March 11.
Early market order for The Vinery Stud Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.60 Foxplay, $6 Dawn Wall, $7 Harlow Gold, La Bella Diosa, Lubiton, $10 Cassadee, Lasqueti Spirit, $14 Montoya’s Secret, $15 Nurse Kitchen, Think Like A Bird, $26 Karavali, Sebring Dream, $35 Smart As You Think, $61 Cambage, Concessions, Kamili, Up The Tempo, $101 Moqueen, She’s Magical, $151 Zambesia.
