---

---

The 2021 Vain Stakes is an early Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival 1100m sprint that attracts some of the best new season three-year-old colts and geldings from both local and interstate stables.

Run under set weights plus penalties conditions, the Vain Stakes often features gallopers heading towards a race like the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) back at the track in October over a mile.

Held on PB Lawrence Stakes Day, the Vain Stakes field tends to be filled out with fairly successful colts and geldings who already have decent black type experience. With a total purse of $200,000 as of 2021, Group 3 race is the male equivalent of the fillies-only Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) held at the same meeting for Thousand Guineas hopes.

Horses that end up in the Vain Stakes field tend to race first-up or come via smaller, unlisted events as part of their pre-warm up. Because there is such a considerable number of entrants who are first or second up, the Vain Stakes results can often be difficult to predict, as most horses are not in full form. Those runners that see success in the Vain Stakes results are likely to contest later events such as the Group 3 HDF McNeil Stakes or the Group 2 Danehill Stakes.

Due to the high quality nature of the Vain Stakes field, you’ll often see horses continue on to compete in the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

The 2019 Vain Stakes winner Bivouac went on to win Sydney’s Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) later that season and ran second in Flemington’s Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m). He also followed the following autumn and won the 2020 Newmarket Handicap at elite level.

Sepoy (2011) was the last horse to complete the Vain Stakes – Coolmore Stud Stakes double.

The 2021 Vain Stakes took place on Saturday August 14, 2021 and was won by the resuming Ingratiating for Godolphin.

Vain Stakes
Date:	Saturday August 14, 2021
Track:	Caulfield Racecourse
Distance:	1100m
Race Type:	3YO C&G SWP
Status:	Group 3
Prize Money:	$200,000

2021 Vain Stakes Results

• 1st: #3 Ingratiating
• 2nd: #1 General Beau
• 3rd: #5 Generation

The Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes on Derby Day is the long-term target for the James Cummings-trained Ingratiating ($3.20) who was excellent first-up winning the 2021 Vain Stakes.

Click here to read more on the good first-up win in the Vain Stakes 2021 by Ingratiating.

	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	3	INGRATIATING	James Cummings	Damien Oliver		7	57kg		$3.20
	2	1	GENERAL BEAU	Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra	Damian Lane	1L	6	58kg		$5.50
	3	5	GENERATION	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Ms Jamie Kah	1.1L	1	56kg		$2.30F
	4	7	MR MOZART	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Jye McNeil	1.3L	4	56kg		$12
	5	6	DIRECT	Lloyd Kennewell	Joe Bowditch	2.8L	2	56kg		$21
	6	2	LIGHTSABER	Peter G Moody	Luke Nolen	3.8L	5	58kg		$21
	7	8	CECIL STREET LAD	Richard Laming	Luke Currie	6.05L	3	56kg		$31
		4	JIGSAW	Cindy Alderson	Ben Melham		0

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2021 Vain Stakes Odds

Betting on the Vain Stakes 2021 will be available here with market links to Ladbrokes.com.au once Racing Victoria announce the final field.

2021 Vain Stakes Field

The 2021 Vain Stakes field and barrier draw are announced the Wednesday leading-up to P.B. Lawrence Stakes Day with full acceptances to be listed below.

The Vain Stakes 2021 final field features eight three-year-olds led in betting by the undefeated Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Snitzel colt Generation racing first-up from barrier one.

• Scratchings Update: #4  Jigsaw (6)

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	12x115x	GENERAL BEAU	Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra	Damian Lane	7	58kg		82
2	21119x	LIGHTSABER	Peter G Moody	Luke Nolen	5	58kg		77
3	12x21253x	INGRATIATING	James Cummings	Damien Oliver	8	57kg		94
4	138×13	JIGSAW	Cindy Alderson	Ben Melham	6	56kg		73
5	11x	GENERATION	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Ms Jamie Kah	1	56kg		70
6	2x36x2	DIRECT	Lloyd Kennewell	Joe Bowditch	2	56kg		65
7	14x	MR MOZART	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Jye McNeil	4	56kg		65
8	15	CECIL STREET LAD	Richard Laming	Luke Currie	3	56kg		66

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2021 Vain Stakes Nominations

The early Vain Stakes 2021 Nominations are taken by Racing Victoria on the Monday leading-up to race day, the full list of entries to be published right here once announced.

The 2021 Vain Stakes nominations attracted 17 three-year-old colts and geldings led by returning Blue Diamond runner-up and Golden Slipper third placegetter Ingratiating for the Godolphin stable.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Ballot	Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	12x115x	GENERAL BEAU	C	3	Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra	1	58kg		82
2	21119x	LIGHTSABER	C	3	Peter G Moody	2	58kg		77
3	12x21253x	INGRATIATING	C	3	James Cummings	3	57kg		94
4	114x	STARRY LEGEND	C	3	John Sadler	4	56kg		72
5	138×13	JIGSAW	C	3	Cindy Alderson	5	56kg		73
6	11x	GENERATION	C	3	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	6	56kg		70
7	2x36x2	DIRECT	C	3	Lloyd Kennewell	7	56kg		65
8	6x14x6	PREDETERMINED	G	3	Leon & Troy Corstens	8	56kg		66
9	21×5	LLOYD’S CROWN	G	3	Rebecca Waymouth	9	56kg		66
10	7x9x0x1	BEAUDACITY	G	3	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	10	56kg		63
11	14x	MR MOZART	C	3	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	11	56kg		65
12	15	CECIL STREET LAD	G	3	Richard Laming	12	56kg		66
13	18x	EXCEED EXPECT	C	3	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	13	56kg		63
14	30×1	BRUCKNER	C	3	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	14	56kg		62
15	8×15	SAINT TROPEZ	C	3	Lloyd Kennewell	15	56kg		63
16		PHONE A FRIEND	C	3	Grahame Begg	16=	56kg		61
17	6	WONDER LEGEND	G	3	John Sadler	16=	56kg		61

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Vain Stakes History

Inaugurated in 1992, the Vain Stakes has always attracted a strong assortment of young colts and geldings. Never Undercharge took out the first edition of the Vain Stakes with a thrilling run to set the standard of tight finishes that the Vain Stakes is known for.

Initially referred to as the Vain Quality Stakes, the race name was shortened to the Vain Stakes in 1995. For a year in 2010 the race was named the Lister Diesel Stakes.

Initially held at Sandown Park Racecourse, the Vain Stakes shifted to Caulfield for a year in 1994 and then again in 1997. From 2002 onwards, the race’s permanent home has been at Caulfield Racecourse.

Although the Vain Stakes is now held over a distance of 1100m, it was raced over 1200m prior to 2006, when the drop to 1100m was first made. Since then, it has remained at 1100m with the exception of 2009, when it was run over 1200m.

Notable Vain Stakes winners include Cannibal King (1994), Haradasun (2006), Starspangledbanner (2009), Toorak Toff (2010) and Bivouac (2019). Vain Stakes results since 2000, including winning times, are listed below.

Vain Stakes Results

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2021 Vain Stakes	1st	Ingratiating	1 minute 3.97 seconds
	2nd	General Beau
	3rd	Generation
2020 Vain Stakes	1st	Our Playboy	1 minute 4.91 seconds
	2nd	Ranting
	3rd	Rulership
2019 Vain Stakes	1st	Bivouac	1 minute 3.42 seconds
	2nd	Sebrakate
	3rd	Dirty Work
2018 Vain Stakes	1st	Tony Nicconi	1 minute 4.85 seconds
	2nd	Long Leaf
	3rd	Native Soldier
2017 Vain Stakes	1st	Jukebox	1 minute 4.8 seconds
	2nd	Plutocracy
	3rd	Poseidon’s Pool
2016 Vain Stakes	1st	Russian Revolution	1 minute 5.1 seconds
	2nd	Highland Beat
	3rd	Hardham
2015 Vain Stakes	1st	Gold Symphony	1 minute 04.4 seconds
	2nd	Top Me Up
	3rd	Star Planet
2014 Vain Stakes	1st	Get The Nod	1 minute 03.9 seconds
	2nd	Stingray
	3rd	Boomwa
2013 Vain Stakes	1st	Safeguard	1 minute 04.8 seconds
	2nd	Fast ‘n’ Rocking
	3rd	Hill Spy
2012 Vain Stakes	1st	Psychic Mick	1 minute 06.1 seconds
	2nd	Planet Voyage
	3rd	Free Of Doubt
2011 Vain Stakes	1st	Sepoy	1 minute 03.9 seconds
	2nd	Golden Archer
	3rd	Grand Britannia
2010 Vain Stakes	1st	Toorak Toff	1 minute 07.1 seconds
	2nd	Soul
	3rd	Star Witness
2009 Vain Stakes	1st	Starspangledbanner	1 minute 04.1 seconds
	2nd	Eclair Fastpass
	3rd	Djatala
2008 Vain Stakes	1st	Fernandina	1 minute 05.1 seconds
	2nd	Lord Tavistock
	3rd	Exceedingly Good
2007 Vain Stakes	1st	Shrewd Rhythm	1 minute 03.4 seconds
	2nd	Purrealist
	3rd	Diplomatic Force
2006 Vain Stakes	1st	Haradasun	1 minute 03.5 seconds
	2nd	Sharkbite
	3rd	Churchill Downs
2005 Vain Stakes	1st	Red Dazzler	1 minute 13.7 seconds
	2nd	Maybe Better
	3rd	Big League
2004 Vain Stakes	1st	Zankel	1 minute 12.7 seconds
	2nd	Special Voyage
	3rd	Tantat Secret
2003 Vain Stakes	1st	Lisboa Stand	1 minute 10.4 seconds
	2nd	Scaredee Cat
	3rd	Keep The Faith
2002 Vain Stakes	1st	Delago Brom	1 minute 10.1 seconds
	2nd	Great Glen
	3rd	Broadband
2001 Vain Stakes	1st	North Boy	1 minute 12.9 seconds
	2nd	Dash For Cash
	3rd	Tully Dane
2000 Vain Stakes	1st	Surtees	1 minute 12.95 seconds
	2nd	Sort It Out
	3rd	Mr Gold Flyer