Early favourite for the ATC Oaks Luvaluva is the headline filly nominated for a Rosehill Gardens run this weekend in the Vinery Stud Stakes 2018.
Australian Oaks favourite Luvaluva is among the standout 2018 Vinery Stud Stakes nominations for this Saturday at Rosehill Gardens. Photo: Steve Hart.
One of two elite level Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival races on Tancred Stakes Day, this season’s Group 1 $500,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) attracted a bumper 17 three-year-old fillies.
The set weights clash is a key lead-up to the Group 1 $1 million Australian Oaks (2400m) at Royal Randwick on Day 2 of ‘The Championships’, April 14, and favourite for that mile and a half classic Luvaluva will have her final lead-up on Saturday.
The John Sargent-trained daughter of Mastercraftsman is top of the futures Australian Oaks odds at $6 through Ladbrokes.com.au, a price sure to firm further with a good run on the weekend.
Fourth in the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) in Melbourne last spring, the bay has had two runs this time in including a last start win in the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) on March 16.
She looks set to improve third-up over the extra metres in the Vinery Stud Stakes and is out to do the Kembla Grange Classic – Vinery Stud Stakes double Single Gaze (2016) completed just two years ago.
The other best out of the Kembla Grange Classic nominated for a rematch in the Vinery Stud Stakes field are the Clarry Conners-trained Torvill (2nd) and Foxwedge filly Wedgie (3rd) for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott.
Conners is after a second Vinery Stud Stakes win and his first since the great Research right back in 1989, while Wedgie’s co-trainer Waterhouse has prepared two previous winners in 2001 and 2003.
Along with Luvaluva the other shortest-priced Vinery Stud Stakes nominees in futures ATC Oaks betting are Danzdanzdance ($8) and Unforgotten ($8).
Chris Gibbs from New Zealand prepares Kiwi raider Danzdanzdance, the grey yet to race down under and last seen finishing third to Vin De Dance when taking on the boys back home in the Group 1 NZ Derby (2400m).
The NZ Derby form was franked last Saturday when the winner Vin De Dance finished second past the post behind D’Argento in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) before being relegated to fourth on protest.
Unforgotten will also be back against her own kind after the Chris Waller-trained Fastnet Rock filly improved on her last in the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) when suffering from cardiac arrhythmia to beat home the boys in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 17.
Other standout Vinery Stud Stakes nominations include the Godolphin-raced Flight Stakes winning Sepoy filly Alizee, Tony McEvoy’s Australian Guineas third placegetter and VRC Oaks runner-up Bring Me Roses, and the Mick Price-trained VRC Oaks / Phar Lap Stakes third placed Hiyaam.
Check out the full Vinery Stud Stakes 2018 nominations below before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for the best early odds on it and the upcoming Australian Oaks.
2018 Vinery Stud Stakes Nominations
Rosehill Gardens – 31/03/2018
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 124113×160 | ALIZEE | F | 3 | James Cummings | 103 |
| 2 | 38x331x112 | ALL TOO SOON | F | 3 | David Payne | 79 |
| 3 | 12x5116x50 | ALOISIA (NZ) | F | 3 | Aaron Purcell | 105 |
| 4 | 432102×230 | BRING ME ROSES | F | 3 | Tony McEvoy | 97 |
| 5 | 8x211x411 | CHILLY CHA CHA (NZ) | F | 3 | Kris Lees | 71 |
| 6 | 1321×375 | DANCERS | F | 3 | Brad Widdup | 70 |
| 7 | 3×1623 | DANZDANZDANCE | F | 3 | Chris Gibbs | 85 |
| 8 | 5x12343x3 | HIYAAM (NZ) | F | 3 | Mick Price | 85 |
| 9 | 1776214×61 | LUVALUVA (NZ) | F | 3 | John Sargent | 95 |
| 10 | 444 | MADAME MARKIEVICZ (NZ) | F | 3 | Anthony & Edward Cummings | 57 |
| 11 | 66x8405x41 | MISS ADMIRATION | F | 3 | Mick Price | 62 |
| 12 | 21×6731 | MISSYBEEL (NZ) | F | 3 | Bjorn Baker | 66 |
| 13 | 221237×134 | RIMRAAM (NZ) | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 90 |
| 14 | 2×411 | SEMARI (NZ) | F | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 66 |
| 15 | 212310×322 | TORVILL | F | 3 | Clarry Conners | 91 |
| 16 | 72x111x01 | UNFORGOTTEN | F | 3 | Chris Waller | 89 |
| 17 | 0x113 | WEDGIE | F | 3 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 75 |
