Trainer Matt Laurie will look north to Sydney for the remainder of the autumn after Vinrock registered an impressive win at Flemington.
Jumping straight from a maiden win over 1200m at Pakenham on February 20, Vinrock led throughout to claim the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Vinrock does not feature among the nominations for the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 22, but has been entered for the Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 5 with the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) likely to follow two weeks later.
Sent out the $3.40 favourite under Mark Zahra, Vinrock scored a two-length victory over Brave Design ($7) with Onavuitton ($19) a further 2-¼ lengths away third.
Laurie said Vinrock was one of his early two-year-old triallers, but realised the colt would appreciate a trip of 1400 metres.
“I nearly ran him last prep,” Laurie said.
“He was the first of our two-year-olds to trial and I felt that at that stage they were five-furlong races, and he looked like seven-furlongs plus, so we put him away.
“He was good at Pakenham, which is a big track and here at Flemington, he has gone well.
“He’s a very tough horse and when he was placed under pressure at his first start, he really responded well and went to another level today.
“If he pulls up well, we’ll go to Sydney for the Sires’ there.”
Zahra partnered Vinrock in a trial over 1000m prior to his debut and Laurie had planned to start the colt in a maiden at Bendigo before electing to head to Pakenham.
“I have to give Matty credit,” Zahra said.
“I trialled him over 1000 metres and he said he wanted to go to a 1300-metre race at Bendigo on a Saturday, and I said it didn’t suit me because I can’t ride him.
“He went to a 1200 and he won well there, and Matt had this race picked out before he even started.
“He’s obviously a very good judge of a horse and he has plotted a path, and it has come off.”
