Horse Racing

The AAMI Vase is a highly regarded Group 2 race held towards the end of the coveted Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival on WS Cox Plate Day at Moonee Valley in late October. The feature race of the day is the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) but there are six other quality group races held at the meeting including the AAMI Vase.

The AAMI Vase is a staying race run over 2040m by three-year-olds at set weights and is worth $205 000. Runners may have previously contested some of the other set weights races for three-year-olds earlier in the carnival including the Group 3 Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m) on Caulfield Cup Day or Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley in late September.

The AAMI Vase is commonly used as a final preparation race for horses moving on to one of the highlight events of the carnival, the prestigious Group 1 AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) held the following week at Flemington. Some fillies that contested the Vase may instead choose to run in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes also on Derby Day because of its more suitable 2000m distance.

The 2010 AAMI Vase will take place at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day – Saturday 23rd October 2010.

AAMI Vase History

First run in 1983, the first winner of the AAMI Vase was Centaine when it began as a Listed race run over 1600m. A few years later in 1986 the race distance increased dramatically to 2040m. Following that, in 1989 it was elevated to Group 3 status and then in 1997 the AAMI Vase became a prestigious Group 2 event.

Horses that have taken out the AAMI Vase – Victoria Derby double include Efficient (2006), Plastered (2004) and Helenus (2002).

Recent AAMI Vase Winners