Chris Waller’s last start Par Lap Stakes winner Foxplay is one of the key Vinery Stud Stakes 2017 nominations taken for the three-years-old fillies’ feature at Rosehill Racecourse on Saturday.
Phar Lap Stakes winning filly Foxplay is nominated for a Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes run at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.
This season’s $500,000 Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) attracted a bumper twenty early entries heading towards the major support act on The BMW Stakes Day in Sydney on the weekend.
Waller is yet to take out the race, which serves as a key lead-up to the Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on April 8, and has two in-form nominees for the event this autumn.
The stable’s duo is made up of Foxwedge filly Foxplay and her flying stablemate Dawn Wall, both coming off a lead-up win.
Foxplay beat home the boys in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill a fortnight ago giving her a gun record at the track (4-2-1-0) she returns to this weekend.
Fastnet Rock filly Dawn Wall meanwhile has won her past three on the trot, most recently the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) on March 10.
That race last produced a Vinery Stud Stakes winner back in 2009 when Purple improved on a ninth placing in the lead-up.
Dawn Wall is also one of the best in all-in Australian Oaks betting at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $9 for the mile and a half feature during ‘The Championships’.
The shortest-priced of the Vinery Stud Stakes fillies in those futures Australian Oaks odds are Harlow Gold, La Bella Diosa and Lasqueti Spirit all in $8 for next month’s clash.
Lindsay Park prepare Tavistock filly Harlow Gold who is out to improve on her last start fourth behind Hey Doc when taking on the colts and geldings at Flemington on March 4 in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m).
Runner-up in the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) in Melbourne last spring, Harlow Gold is third-up this weekend and will eat-up the extra metres of the Vinery Stud Stakes.
Co-trainer David Hayes prepared the 2007 Vinery Stud Stakes winner Miss Finland for her win and along with Harlow Gold the team also have Sebring Dream in the mix for 2017.
La Bella Diosa is a well-bred daughter of So You Think prepared in New Zealand by Matt & Mandy Brown.
She won her first run down under defeating Omei Sword in the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m) two back.
Last time out things went amiss for the NZ 2000 Guineas winner when she failed to beat home any of her rivals crossing ten lengths back last (19th) to Heavens Above in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m).
She is tipped to be better over further ground, gets Heavy going this weekend and is back against her own age after the tough run against the older mares last time out.
Lasqueti Spirit is best known for her all-the-way Crown Oaks upset during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Two back she caught the eye again crossing second to glamour mare Winx in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) before running seventh to Tavago in the Group 3 Sky High Stakes (2000m) on March 11.
See below for the full Vinery Stud Stakes 2017 nominations, the field due for release on Wednesday followed by updated odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au.
2017 Vinery Stud Stakes Nominations
Rosehill Gardens – 25/03/2017
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 878x411x6 | CAMBAGE | F | 3 | Scott Singleton | 68 |
| 2 | 154811 | CASSADEE | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 74 |
| 3 | 081×4135 | CONCESSIONS | F | 3 | Scott Singleton | 66 |
| 4 | 5111 | DAWN WALL | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 82 |
| 5 | 12x114x241 | FOXPLAY | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 98 |
| 6 | x611562x34 | HARLOW GOLD (NZ) | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 94 |
| 7 | 6080×5362 | KAMILI | F | 3 | Pat Carey | – |
| 8 | 5144×222 | KARAVALI (NZ) | F | 3 | Kris Lees | 71 |
| 9 | 14x3111x10 | LA BELLA DIOSA (NZ) | F | 3 | Mandy & Matt Brown | 103 |
| 10 | 538241×027 | LASQUETI SPIRIT | F | 3 | Lee Curtis | 103 |
| 11 | 6x2231x552 | LUBITON | F | 3 | Bjorn Baker | 78 |
| 12 | 22x435x211 | MONTOYA’S SECRET | F | 3 | Leon & Troy Corstens | 67 |
| 13 | 5435149×70 | MOQUEEN | F | 3 | Anthony & Edward Cummings | 71 |
| 14 | 1x01x70 | NURSE KITCHEN (NZ) | F | 3 | David Brideoake | 82 |
| 15 | x556520x18 | SEBRING DREAM | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 78 |
| 16 | 4×673161 | SHE’S MAGICAL | F | 3 | Gregory Hickman | 66 |
| 17 | 3x52316x57 | SMART AS YOU THINK | F | 3 | John McArdle | 80 |
| 18 | 4×21 | THINK LIKE A BIRD | F | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 62 |
| 19 | 4x411x3342 | UP THE TEMPO | F | 3 | John & Chris Meagher | 65 |
| 20 | 067 | ZAMBESIA | F | 3 | Pat Carey | – |
