VINERY STUD STAKES
2000m, $500,000 Group One set-weights race for three-year-old fillies run at Rosehill.
HISTORY
* First run in 1979 over 1900m at Canterbury when won by Impede
* Race is officially registered as the Storm Queen Stakes but is referred to by most as the Vinery Stud Stakes
* Before 1992 was Group Two and known as Storm Queen Stakes in honour of the 1966 Golden Slipper winner
* Storm Queen was a champion for Bart Cummings – winning the 1966 Golden Slipper, 1966 Champagne Stakes, 1966 Caulfield Guineas, 1966 George Adams Handicap and the 1967 Lightning Stakes
* The race has been won by star fillies such as: Sheraco (1982), Research (1989), Slight Chance (1993), Champagne (1998), Savannah Success (1999), Special Harmony (2004), Serenade Rose (2006), Miss Finland (2007), Mosheen (2012), Lucia Valentina (2014), Single Gaze (2016) and Verry Elleegant (2019)
* Research recorded the first win of her autumn campaign in 1989 when she took out the Vinery Stud Stakes. She then won the Group One Australian Derby (2400m) and Australian Oaks – all within 11 days and an achievement that has never been repeated
* Mick Dittman is the most successful jockey with three winners – Centaurea (1985), Research (1989) and A Little Kiss (1990)
* Bart Cummings has the training record with four wins
* Verry Elleegant (2019), Heavenly Glow (2008), Serenade Rose (2006), Danendri (1997), Alcove (1994), Research (1989) and Sheraco (1982) have completed the Vinery Stud Stakes/Australian Oaks double
* The 2019 edition was won by the Chris Waller-trained Verry Elleegant, ridden by James McDonald
TALKING POINTS
* Funstar and Probabeel will continue their rivalry. They have filled the quinella in each of their four clashes, with Funstar winning three times
* Funstar and Probabeel are one-all in Group One clashes, with Funstar winning this season’s Flight Stakes and Probabeel the Surround Stakes
* Trainer Chris Waller and jockey James McDonald won last year with Verry Elleegant and combine with Funstar
* The James Cummings-trained Asiago heads into the race off a win in the Kembla Grange Classic
WHAT THE KEY PLAYERS ARE SAYING
“Outside of the top two, I think she’s going to be very competitive. She is on the way up so that’s positive” – Game Of Thorns trainer Kris Lees
“She’s come through her last start nicely and stepping up to the 2000 metres we always thought would be to her benefit but she’s taking on some more seasoned opposition, particularly Funstar and Probabeel” – Shout The Bar’s co-trainer Adrian Bott
“She’s by Declaration Of War, the same sire as the Melbourne Cup winner (Vow and Declare) and once she gets over 2400 metres she’ll be in her element. As long as she’s running home on Saturday I’ll be very happy and then we’ll look at going from there” – Aspect Ratio’s trainer John Sargent
“Her best wins have come in the most important races, which suggests she rises to the occasion. Asiago is a classic style of filly and this contest will quickly reveal her Group One credentials,” – trainer James Cummings
