The Vinery Stud Stakes is typically one of the more open Group 1 races of the Autumn Carnival but adversely, that actually doesn’t look like being the case in 2020.
So is the quality and respect of the Chris Waller-trained Funstar, that she has opened the $1.75 favourite in Vinery Stud Stakes betting and it really would take a mammoth effort to beat her.
Vinery Stud Stakes – Winner
No. 1 Funstar – Bet Now: $1.85
I am one of the fans that I touched on above and it would take a braver man than me to tip against Funstar in the 2020 Vinery Stud Stakes. Sure, she’s yet to step out in anything further than a mile, but she is quite clearly head and shoulders above most other three-year-old fillies currently in work. She capped an outstanding spring campaign with a maiden Group 1 win in the Flight Stakes and while she was just beaten by a fit Probabeel in the Surround Stakes first-up, she turned the tables with an easy win in the Phar Lap a fortnight ago. I think she’ll only be better over 2000m and James McDonald keeps the ride.
Vinery Stud Stakes – 2nd
No. 2 Probabeel – Bet Now: $4.20
There’s probably no doubt that Probabeel is the best of the rest and there isn’t really a reason why she won’t be in the finish of the Vinery Stud Stakes either. The Savabeel filly won the Karaka Million as a two-year-old and finished second to Funstar a couple of times in spring, but looks to have returned a better horse this time and won the Karaka three-year-olds race before taking out the Surround Stakes when she returned to Australia. She was comfortably accounted for in the Phar Lap, but she’s certainly up to finishing second again on Saturday.
Vinery Stud Stakes – 3rd
No. 3 Missile Mantra – Bet Now: $18.00
I’m a big fan of the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Missile Mantra and I’m really looking forward to seeing her get out to 2000m for the first time. The Smart Missile filly ended a smart spring prep with a bee’s you-know-what second in the Thousand Guineas and has continued to improve for three starts this time, including a smart fourth in the Kembla Classic over a mile last time in, in which she did all of her best work late. At a double-figure price, I think she can add real value to our Vinery Stud Stakes first four.
Vinery Stud Stakes – 4th
No. 6 Subpoenaed – Bet Now: $9.50
Subpoenaed’s ‘get back and run on’ style suggests that the 2000m of the Vinery Stud Stakes will also be ideal for her. The Rip Van Winkle filly was a strong and consistent performer in weaker company through spring but delivered an open field a thrashing when first-up in February this year. She’s since finished second in a BM78 race over 1400m and came from near last to finish fifth in the Kembla Grange Classic most recently, and she looks to harbour further improvement. She can settle a little closer from gate 5 this weekend and I for one would not be surprised to see her right in the thick of it late.
Vinery Stud Stakes Tips
- Boxed Trifecta of the selections below
