Master trainer Chris Waller is now giving serious consideration to the Group 1 Australian Oaks with his in-form filly Hungry Heart who ran out of her skin the closing stages to run down the favourite Harmony Rose and win the 2021 Vinery Stud Stakes.

Hungry Heart was excellent late to win the 2021 Vinery Stud Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart.

Following a lead-up third behind the boys in the Randwick Guineas, it was the talented Mark Newnham-trained Harmony Rose who went out favourite in this autumn’s Group 1 $500,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill.

Jockey Joshua Parr dug in the heels and roused the top elect up into front position the early stages, and from there Harmony Rose led the Vinery field around setting a blistering pace.

In a genuinely run edition of the traditional Oaks lead-up, Harmony Rose went out hard in front and was flying doing all the work.

Parr upped the ante leading into the straight and Harmony Rose opened up a gap on the rest of the field at the 300m.

Having run around in last throughout, Hungry Heart was the only one coming out of the pack as jockey Kerrin McEvoy made a move on the last start Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes winning filly.

She went into a clear second the outside of the favourite at the 200m and was too good late running down the brave Hungry Heart who just couldn’t hold off the challenger.

Impecunious ran third to round out the Vinery Stud Stakes trifecta ahead of the Peter Moody-trained Princess Rhaenys who also looks to have a bright future ahead.

Harmony Rose lost few admirers in her brave second placing, but all honours went to the dry-track loving Hungry Heart who handed Waller his 121^st Group 1 victory and McEvoy his 78^th Group 1 winning ride.

“It was a great win, a great race to watch,” Waller told Sky Thoroughbred Central post win.

“She was back, but they ran along quick and that gave the backmarkers their chance.

“With 300 metres to run, I could see her making her run, but it was a lot of ground to make up.

“The last 100 metres, she really fought hard and got there quite well.

“That win last start was a big help and that last 100 meters today, she could easily have run second, but she stuck her neck out and tried her guts out.

“She’s a really brave filly.”

Waller said he hadn’t given much thought to whether Hungry Heart would run out a mile and a half prior to the Vinery Stud Stakes result, but that he would now look at backing her up at Randwick on April 17^th in the Group 1 $1 million Australian Oaks (2400m).

Waller won the Vinery Stud Stakes – Australian Oaks double back in 2019 with Verry Elleegant.

The bookies have reacted strongly to Hungry Heart’s Vinery Stud Stakes win, with the beautifully-bred daughter of Frankel firming in from $14 to $6 in all-in 2021 Australian Oaks odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Harmony Rose meanwhile has eased out slightly from $5 to $6 with full futures Australian Oaks betting markets available here.

2021 Vinery Stud Stakes Results

Table Credit: Racing Australia.