Moonee Valley Vase

The Moonee Valley Vase is a Group 2 staying event held at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day.

2023 Moonee Valley Vase Results

  • 1st: #4 Apulia
  • 2nd: #3 Verdad
  • 3rd: #2 Air Assault



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

The Moonee Valley Vase is a staying race run over 2040m by three-year-olds at set weights and is currently worth $400,000 in total prize. Runners may have previously contested some of the other set weights races for three-year-olds earlier in the carnival including the Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) on Caulfield Cup Day or Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley in late September.

The Moonee Valley 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  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.

Efficient (2006) was the last horse to complete the Moonee Valley Vase – VRC Derby double.

More recently, the 2018 MV Vase winner Stars of Carrum finished runner-up in the VRC Derby results next start. In 2017 smart filly Aloisia won the Moonee Valley Vase after a Group 1 Thousand Guineas victory at Caulfield.

In 2019 MV Vase winner Soul Patch went on to run third in that year’s Victoria Derby trifecta and the following year’s Group 1 Australian Guineas. The next season, Johnny Get Angry improved on his lead-up third in the Moonee Valley Vase to win the Victoria Derby 2020 at big odds.

The 2021 Moonee Valley Vase form was franked with the winner Forgot You going on to run third in the following autumn’s Group 1 Rosehill Guineas results in Sydney, while the third placed Jungle Magnate won the 2022 Group 1 SA Derby.

The Moonee Valley Vase 2022 form was franked with the runner-up Virtuous Circle returning the following autumn for a Group 1 ATC Derby second in 2023, while the third place-getter Pericles was third in the 2023 Group 1 Rosehill Guineas results.

The 2023 Moonee Valley Vase took place Ladbrokes on Cox Plate Day, Saturday October 28, 2023, and saw the Team Hayes-trained Fiorente colt Apulia ($4.20) fly home for a dominant two-length win. 

Moonee Valley Vase 2023
Date: Saturday October 28, 2023
Track: Moonee Valley Racecourse
Distance: 2040m
Conditions: 3YO – Set Weights
Status: Group 2
Prize Money: $400,000
Inaugurated: 1983

2023 Moonee Valley Vase Results

  • 1st: #4 Apulia
  • 2nd: #3 Verdad
  • 3rd: #2 Air Assault

Strong Fiorente colt Apulia is likely for another quick back-up into Saturday week’s Group 1 $2 million Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington after an impressive win in the Moonee Valley Vase 2023 results defeating the favourite Verdad by two lengths.

Click here to read more on the impressive upset by Apulia in the 2023 Moonee Valley Vase results.

2023 Moonee Valley Vase Results & Finishing Order

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 4 APULIA Ben, Will & JD Hayes Mark Zahra 4 57kg $4.20
2 3 VERDAD Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock Beau Mertens 2L 5 57kg $2.45F
3 2 AIR ASSAULT Andrew Gluyas Damian Lane 3.5L 8 57kg $4.60
4 9 BULAWAYO Pat Carey & Harris Walker Rhys McLeod 6.5L 2 57kg $31
5 1 SUNSOURCE Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young Opie Bosson 7.25L 3 57kg $11
6 7 KONING Richard & Will Freedman Zac Purton 9.25L 6 57kg $6.50
7 10 MAH ALI Benjamin Smith Ms Winona Costin 21.25L 1 55kg $101
8 8 ESSKAY Danny O’Brien Jamie Mott 22L 7 57kg $26
5 SNOWMAN Chris Waller James McDonald 0
6 PORT LOCKROY Annabel Neasham Michael Dee 0

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Moonee Valley Vase Betting Odds

The latest Moonee Valley Vase 2023 odds will be detailed below complete with links to Ladbrokes.com.au for you to lock in your top Moonee Valley Vase betting tips at the right price.

Cherry Tortoni ($2.60 in 2020) followed by Forgot You ($2 in 2021) and Berkeley Square ($2.60 in 2022) are the latest favourites in Moonee Valley Vase betting to salute.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST 2023 MOONEE VALLEY VASE ODDS (Final Field)

2023 Moonee Valley Vase Form Guide

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 MOONEE VALLEY VASE FORM GUIDE

2023 Moonee Valley Vase Tips

Stay tuned for our exclusive Moonee Valley Vase 2023 Tips on the Cox Plate Day support act this spring.

  • To Win: #7 Koning ($10 at time of publish) – BET NOW

A Vase field lacking a bit of class and now numbers are right down making it a more open affair than backing the odds-on favourite suggests. Searching for the value and have landed on a last start winner in Koning. The Richard & Will Freedman-trained Kingman colt broke his maiden status at Newcastle last start over 1850m by nearly three lengths. Has been working his way up and improving each time out. This is notably a huge rise in class, but Zac Purton rides and the horse if full of confidence. Peaking at the right time. Let’s see if he is up to it.

2023 Moonee Valley Vase Field

The Moonee Valley Vase field attracts a quality line-up of the season’s top three-year-old stayers eyeing a quick back-up in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) the following Saturday at Flemington Racecourse.

Good lead-up races into the Moonee Valley Vase field including the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) for fillies looking to take on the boys, and the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) run a fortnight prior.

Berkeley Square (4th in 2022) was the last Caulfield Guineas graduate to go on and win the Moonee Valley Vase.

The official Moonee Valley Vase 2023 Field & Barriers are announced on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in full below.

The 2023 Moonee Valley Vase final field features a line-up of promising Derby types led in betting by Verdad coming off a sixth in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m).

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Probable Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 30×4431452 SUNSOURCE Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young Opie Bosson 4 57kg 73
2 2x6551x441 AIR ASSAULT Andrew Gluyas Damian Lane 10 57kg 74
3 126 VERDAD Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock Beau Mertens 6 57kg 74
4 242×1284 APULIA Ben, Will & JD Hayes Mark Zahra 5 57kg 70
5 5x5x13216 SNOWMAN Chris Waller James McDonald 7 57kg 68
6 33151 PORT LOCKROY Annabel Neasham Michael Dee 1 57kg 70
7 2321 KONING Richard & Will Freedman Zac Purton 8 57kg 63
8 1×709 ESSKAY Danny O’Brien Jamie Mott 9 57kg 64
9 0105 BULAWAYO Pat Carey & Harris Walker Rhys McLeod 3 57kg 62
10 49×516 MAH ALI Benjamin Smith Ms Winona Costin 2 55kg 62

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Moonee Valley Vase Nominations

The 2023 Moonee Valley Vase nominations are released on the Monday of Cox Plate week, the full list of early entries for the VRC Derby lead-up to be announced below once announced.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 2x6551x441 AIR ASSAULT G 3 Andrew Gluyas 74
2 242×1284 APULIA C 3 Ben, Will & JD Hayes 70
3 1 BIG SWAN G 3 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 63
4 2324 BINOTTO G 3 Anthony & Sam Freedman 61
5 0105 BULAWAYO C 3 Pat Carey & Harris Walker 62
6 57x335x973 CAP FERRAT C 3 Chris Waller 68
7 32 EASY TURN F 3 Patrick Kearney 59
8 1×709 ESSKAY G 3 Danny O’Brien 64
9 411×974 KING COLORADO C 3 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 96
10 2321 KONING C 3 Richard & Will Freedman 63
11 120 KOSGEI G 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 63
12 71297 LONG GENES C 3 Edward Cummings 63
13 63 LORD PROTECTOR (NZ) C 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 60
14 49×516 MAH ALI F 3 Benjamin Smith 62
15 9612 MERCANTE G 3 Nigel Blackiston 62
16 71 NONDISCLOSURE G 3 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 62
17 33151 PORT LOCKROY C 3 Annabel Neasham 70
18 3×421 SACRED EAGLE C 3 Symon Wilde 62
19 415 SERVED COLD F 3 Danny O’Brien 62
20 5x5x13216 SNOWMAN C 3 Chris Waller 68
21 30×4431452 SUNSOURCE C 3 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 73
22 126 VERDAD G 3 Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock 74
23 919 VIESTE F 3 Benjamin Smith 64

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Moonee Valley Vase History

First run in 1983, the first Moonee Valley Vase winner 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 Moonee Valley Vase became a prestigious Group 2 event.

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

Moonee Valley Vase results since 2000 can be found below.

Moonee Valley Vase Winners

Year Place Horse Time
2023 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Apulia 2 minutes 04.36 seconds
2nd Verdad
3rd Air Assault
2022 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Berkeley Square 2 minutes 10.35 seconds
2nd Virtuous Circle
3rd Pericles
2021 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Forgot You 2 minutes 09.08 seconds
2nd Commander Harry
3rd Jungle Magnate
2020 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Cherry Tortoni 2 minutes 10.34 seconds
2nd Kohekhoe
3rd Johnny Get Angry
2019 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Soul Patch 2 minutes 06.60 seconds
2nd Moonlight Maid
3rd Serious Liaison
2018 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Stars Of Carrum 2 minutes 05.28 seconds
2nd Savoie
3rd Aramayo
2017 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Aloisia 2 minutes 04.24 seconds
2nd Cliff’s Edge
3rd Salsamor
2016 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Sacred Elixir 2 minutes 10.94 seconds
2nd Morvada
3rd So Si Bon
2015 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Jameka 2 minutes 6.4 seconds
2nd Shards
3rd Tarzino
2014 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Moonovermanhattan 2 minutes 6.4 seconds
2nd Atmosphere
3rd Go Indy Go
2013 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Savvy Nature 2 minutes 5.8 seconds
2nd All Rigged Up
3rd Pinstripe Lane
2012 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Super Cool 2 minutes 8.25 seconds
2nd It’s A Dundeel
3rd Viking Star
2011 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Manawanui 2 minutes 7.14 seconds
2nd Collar
3rd Scelto
2010 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Rekindled Interest 2 minutes 7.09 seconds
2nd Lion Tamer
3rd Hollowlea
2009 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Hanks 2 minutes 6.2 seconds
2nd Spacecraft
3rd Viking Legend
2008 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Whobegotyou 2 minutes 5.3 seconds
2nd Buffett
3rd Orca
2007 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Marching 2 minutes 6.5 seconds
2nd Kibbutz
3rd Barbaricus
2006 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Efficient 2 minutes 5.2 seconds
2nd The One
3rd Excites
2005 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Duelled 2 minutes 14.1 seconds
2nd Manton
3rd Benicio
2004 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Plastered 2 minutes 7.6 seconds
2nd Mr Martini
3rd Count Ricardo
2003 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Kempinsky 2 minutes 7.1 seconds
2nd Elvstroem
3rd Lifes A Bounty
2002 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Helenus 2 minutes 8 seconds
2nd Macedon Lady
3rd Wild Heart
2001 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Ustinov 2 minutes 6.3 seconds
2nd Viking Ruler
3rd Pure Theatre
2000 Moonee Valley Vase 1st Skalato 2 minutes 9.2 seconds
2nd Universal Prince
3rd Sale Of Century

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