The 2015 Vain Stakes field has been released and Tony McEvoy-trained Stoker is set to carry the top weight of 56.5 kilograms in the Group 3 event that will be held at Caulfield on Saturday.
Stoker will return to the races in the 2015 Vain Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett
Stoker made his racing debut with a second place finish behind Headwater in the Cactus Imaging Plate (1000m) at Moonee Valley on December 27 and he was a close third in the James Boag’s Premium Plate (1000m) at Morphettville Parks on January 24 before he claimed his maiden race win in the Inglis Premier (1000m) at Sandown on February 7.
The Written Tycoon gelding was well-backed in the lead-up to the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 28 and he missed the start before finishing fairly for seventh before he returned to racing with a credible sixth against older horses in the Listed Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville on July 25.
Another horse in the Vain Stakes field that ran at stakes level as a two-year-old is Danny O’Brien-trained Ragazzo Del Corsa, who is set to return to the races for the first time this preparation.
Ragazzo Del Corsa made his racing debut with an unlucky effort in the Whites Wires Plate (1000m) at Moonee Valley on December 12 and he took out the Better Beyond Plate (1000m) at Flemington on January 10 in good style before he failed to fire when seventh behind Pasadena Girl in the Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on February 21.
One of the only horses that is taking winning form into the 2015 Vain Stakes is Godolphin colt Demonstrate, who will be having his eighth race start since he made his racing debut at Sandown on Australia Day.
Demonstrate looked as though he had come to the end of his campaign when he was beaten as favourite in The Flemington Family Handicap (1200m) on July 18, but he returned to his best form to record a narrow win over Star Planet, Destiny’s Reward and Top Me Up in the 1Print Handicap (1000m) at Moonee Valley on August 1.
The only other last start winner in the 2015 Vain Stakes field is Wendy Kelly-trained Tuscany Hero, who made his racing debut with a comfortable win in the Australian Pits Maiden Plate (1000m) at Geelong on July 24.
Equinova, Braccenby, Gold Symphony, Royalic and Assertive Star round out the 2015 Vain Stakes field.
