The Vinery Stud Stakes is a Group One for three-year-old fillies during the Sydney Autumn Carnival. While it is a quality race in its own right, the Vinery Stud Stakes is also the key lead-up race for the Australian Oaks, held two weeks later during the Championships at Royal Randwick.
The Vinery Stud Stakes is actually registered and officially called the Storm Queen Stakes. This is after Storm Queen, a Bart Cummings-trained filly who won the 1966 Golden Slipper as well as other notable races before her retirement.
The race was first run in 1979, making it a relatively recent addition to the list of Group Ones contested today. Perhaps the most famous winner of the race was Miss Finland, who took out the title in 2007, a year after she won the Golden Slipper.
The Vinery Stud Stakes is an interesting race as it provides an indication of which fillies can really stay. Horses that run out the distance well take the natural path into the Australian Oaks, which is an even tougher staying test over a mile and a half.
The horses begin from a chute that allows a lengthy, 500-metre run before hitting the first bend onto the back straight. With such a long distance before hitting any corners, jockeys have enough time to find a spot and avoid getting caught three-wide, rendering barriers insignificant.
In a strange coincidence, the past three winner of the Vinery Stud have all started at odds of $12. The last favourite to greet the judge was Norzita back in 2013.
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