The bookies are having a tough time separating the up-and-comer from the proven three-year-old in Saturday’s Vain Stakes 2020 at Caulfield with Hydro Star currently just nudging out Rulership in betting on the Group 3 showdown.
Rulership is one of the best in 2020 Vain Stakes betting at Caulfield this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.
Part of the always-popular P.B. Lawrence Stakes Day card, the Group 3 $160,000 Neds Vain Stakes (1100m) serves as a nice spring lead-up into the Group 1 sprints for the three-year-old colts and geldings.
The Vain Stakes field in 2020 features just the nine young hopefuls including the $2.80 top elect at Ladbrokes.com.au Hydro Star drawn the outside alley.
The John McArdle-trained Headwater colt comes off a winning debut from July 22 at Sandown-Hillside where he won a two-years-old handicap over 1000m by two lengths carrying 57.5kg to victory.
Jockey Jamie Mott retains the ride for the bay’s three-year-old and Black-Type debut in the Vain Stakes on Saturday, the bookies tipping the galloper to progress from his first win presenting fit here for an off-the-pace run coming back to 56kg.
The danger following very closely at Vain Stakes odds of $3 is resuming I Am Invincible colt Rulership for Peter & Paul Snowden.
Originally set to return last weekend, Rulership was scratched from his initial first-up run and instead takes to the Caulfield track fresh off a winning Randwick trial from late last month.
His last official start produced a fourth in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) last April when unsuited to the Heavy track conditions, explaining why the team have been patient waiting for firmer going to kick off his spring.
After a winning Randwick debut back in January, Rulership was second in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield and eighth in the Group 1 Blue Diamond making him well-placed in Saturday’s grade.
The other two single-figure hopefuls in Vain Stakes betting this season are Ranting ($6) and Larimer Street ($8) drawn in barriers six and five respectively.
Nicely-bred Zoustar colt Ranting is prepared by Leon & Troy Corstens and is out to break his maiden status at his third start on the weekend.
He was runner-up on debut at Caulfield on April 4 over 1100m on a Heavy (9) and brave in defeat before heading to Adelaide when third in the Group 3 Breeders Stakes (1200m) on ANZAC Day.
Freshened-up since, Ranting looks a genuine top three hope first-up at the Caulfield track despite coming into the race without an official trial.
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young saddle-up the highly-rated Larimer Street, the Brazen Beau colt racing at Caulfield for the first time.
During the autumn he strung together a host of eye-catching placings including behind Lunar Fox, a $21 chance first-up in the Vain Stakes on Saturday, in Flemington’s Group 2 VRC Sires’ over 1400m.
He won a Listed Moonee Valley event over 1200m after that before being outclassed when 10th to King’s Legacy in the Group 1 ATC Sires’ in Sydney during ‘The Championships’, a run he can atone for in easier grade here.
There’s also been an early tickle for the consistent Our Playboy backed in from $12 to $10, the Sebring colt having gone out a back-to-back 1000m winner in April.
Click here for the latest Vain Stakes 2020 betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
2020 Vain Stakes Field
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5x52116x | LUNAR FOX |
Paul Preusker | Jordan Childs | 1 | 58kg | 80 | |
| 2 | 23210x | LARIMER STREET |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Damien Oliver | 5 | 57kg | 79 | |
| 3 | 1284x | RULERSHIP | Peter & Paul Snowden | Damian Lane | 3 | 56kg | 75 | |
| 4 | 6x611x | OUR PLAYBOY | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Ben Melham | 8 | 56kg | 67 | |
| 5 | 23x | RANTING (NZ) | Leon & Troy Corstens | Dwayne Dunn | 6 | 56kg | 65 | |
| 6 | 1 | HYDRO STAR | John McArdle | Jamie Mott | 9 | 56kg | 67 | |
| 7 | 1x | BRANDERS RULE | Peter G Moody | Luke Nolen | 2 | 56kg | 64 | |
| 8 | 3 | THE CRUISER | Frankie Stockdale | Arron Lynch | 4 | 56kg | 63 | |
| 9 | 5 | KEEP ON FIGHTING |
Gerard Moloney | Patrick Moloney | 7 | 56kg | 61 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
