2020 Darwin Cup Results: Ihtsahymn Goes Back-to-Back
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The 2020 Vain Stakes is a Group 3 sprinting event held at Caulfield Racecourse ahead of the spring.
2020 Vain Stakes Results
- 1st: #4 Our Playboy
- 2nd: #5 Ranting
- 3rd: #3 Rulership
Vain Stakes News
The 2020 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 $160,000, 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 2020 Vain Stakes took place on Saturday August 15, 2020 and was won in an upset by the fast finishing Our Playboy.
| Vain Stakes | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Saturday August 15, 2020 |
| Track: | Caulfield Racecourse |
| Distance: | 1100m |
| Race Type: | 3YO C&G SWP |
| Status: | Group 3 |
| Prize Money: | $160,000 |
2020 Vain Stakes Results
- 1st: #4 Our Playboy
- 2nd: #5 Ranting
- 3rd: #3 Rulership
It was an improved effort from the untapped Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jrn) trained Our Playboy ($12) who stormed down the outside in a brilliant late effort to defeat Ranting ($6) and the beaten favourite Rulership ($2.40) in the Vain Stakes 2020 results.
| Colour | Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
1 | 4 | OUR PLAYBOY | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Ben Melham | 8 | 56kg | $12 | ||
 |
2 | 5 | RANTING (NZ) | Leon & Troy Corstens | Dwayne Dunn | 1L | 6 | 56kg | $6 | |
 |
3 | 3 | RULERSHIP | Peter & Paul Snowden | Damian Lane | 2.25L | 3 | 56kg | $2.40F | |
 |
4 | 7 | BRANDERS RULE | Peter G Moody | Luke Nolen | 2.35L | 2 | 56kg | $18 | |
 |
5 | 2 | LARIMER STREET |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Damien Oliver | 3.1L | 5 | 57kg | $9.50 | |
 |
6 | 1 | LUNAR FOX |
Paul Preusker | Jordan Childs | 3.2L | 1 | 58kg | $19 | |
 |
7 | 9 | KEEP ON FIGHTING |
Gerard Moloney | Patrick Moloney | 4.2L | 7 | 56kg | $51 | |
 |
8 | 8 | THE CRUISER | Frankie Stockdale | Arron Lynch | 4.95L | 4 | 56kg | $21 | |
 |
9 | 6 | HYDRO STAR | John McArdle | Jamie Mott | 5.45L | 9 | 56kg | $4.80 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
2020 Vain Stakes Odds
Betting on the Vain Stakes 2020 will be available here with market links to Ladbrokes.com.au once Racing Victoria announce the final field.
2020 Vain Stakes Field
The 2020 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.
Nine spring hopefuls make-up the Vain Stakes 2020 final field with the untapped Hydro Star and the proven Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Rulership battling for top spot in early betting.
Click here to read about the key hopefuls in 2020 Vain Stakes betting this weekend.
| 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.
2020 Vain Stakes Nominations
The early Vain Stakes 2020 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 2020 Vain Stakes nominations drew 11 young Group 1 spring hopefuls including Jerle for last year’s winning trainer James Cummings who took the event out with Bivouac (2019), along with the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Rulership who ran in the Blue Diamond Stakes (8th) as a juvenile.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1x0x1 | HARD LANDING | C | 3 | Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes | 80 |
| 2 | 1 | HYDRO STAR | C | 3 | John McArdle | 67 |
| 3 | 4x5323126x | JERLE | C | 3 | James Cummings | 66 |
| 4 | 5 | KEEP ON FIGHTING |
G | 3 | Gerard Moloney | 61 |
| 5 | 23210x | LARIMER STREET |
C | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 79 |
| 6 | 5x52116x | LUNAR FOX |
C | 3 | Paul Preusker | 80 |
| 7 | 6x611x | OUR PLAYBOY | C | 3 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 67 |
| 8 | 23x | RANTING (NZ) | C | 3 | Leon & Troy Corstens | 65 |
| 9 | 1284x | RULERSHIP | C | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 75 |
| 10 | 3 | THE CRUISER | C | 3 | Frankie Stockdale | 63 |
| 11 | 21 | TOYETIC | G | 3 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 64 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
