Promising colt Dubious is one of fifteen new season three year olds making up the nominations for the 2019 Group 3 $160,000 Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Dubious, above in Aqua colours, is among the nominations for the 2019 Vain Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.

Dubious, above in Aqua colours, is among the nominations for the 2019 Vain Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.

Dubious was a three times winner during his two year old season and the Not A Single Doubt colt pleased co-trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace with a win in a 990m barrier trial at Cranbourne on August 5.

“I am rapt with him,” Maher told racing.com.

“He’s a marvel that horse. He’s a pleasure to train and a pleasure to do anything with and he trialled super today.

“He’ll kick off in the Vain (Stakes), go to the McNeil (Stakes) and then go to the Golden Rose.’’

Dubious showed his class during the 2019 Brisbane Winter Carnival with a win in the Group 2 $200,000 Moet & Chandon Champagne Classic (1200m) at Doomben and then lined up against the older horses at weight for age for a fifth to The Bostonian in the Group 1 $700,000 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm.

“He’s just a very straight-forward and genuine horse,” Maher said.

“He’s very sound. You don’t see too many two-year-olds race the older horses and be very competitive at weight-for-age level.

“He seems as good as ever so a Group 1 his aim and hopefully it’s the (Golden) Rose or the Coolmore or something like that.”

The Group 1 $1m Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 28 and the Group 1 $1.5m Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on November 2 are Spring Carnival options for Dubious.

Maher and Eustace have also nominated first starter Billjim for the Vain Stakes and the Mawingo three year old is also a Cranbourne barrier trial winner on August 5.

Trainer James Cummings has only nominated one of the Godolphin team for the Vain Stakes, Exceed And Excel colt Bivouac, who is a winner of two races from five starts, including a last start win in the Group 3 $200,000 Widden Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on Day One of The Championships on April 6.

The final field for the Vain Stakes will be released on Wednesday August 14, 2019.

Nominations for the 2019 Vain Stakes (1100m)

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 251x AUSSIE C 3 Peter & Paul Snowden 65
2 BILLJIM G 3 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
3 2x3141x BIVOUAC C 3 James Cummings
4 2221 CONDO’S EXPRESS C 3 Richard Laming 67
5 36x DIRTY WORK C 3 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
6 1x123015x DUBIOUS C 3 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
7 4×13 EXCESS FUNDS C 3 Levi Kavanagh 68
8 3x EXPRESS PASS C 3 Nick Ryan 63
9 117x I AM IMMORTAL C 3 Anthony Freedman 80
10 21x INDEPENDENT ROAD G 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 68
11 9×1 MANDRAGORIAN G 3 Adam McCabe 62
12 17x ORDER OF VALOUR C 3 Henry Dwyer 63
13 112429x1x SEBRAKATE C 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
14 6 SIR MENADUKE G 3 Clinton McDonald 61
15 211 STAR SURPRISE G 3 Michael Moroney 69

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.