Jimmy Recard digs in to win the Vain Stakes 2025
Jimmy Recard showed grit and class at Caulfield on Saturday, fending off a strong challenge to claim the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) and extend his winning streak to three.
Sent out the $3.60 favourite, the colt was tested when Tycoon Star ($5) loomed up alongside in the straight, but under the drive of jockey Jamie Melham, he lifted late to prevail by a long head. Express Class ($13) was another 1-½ lengths away in third. The win follows his Gosford maiden success in June and his victory in the Taj Rossi Sprint Final at Flemington last month.
Melham said the colt had turned a corner mentally. “I knew he had ability, but I wasn’t convinced he’d put it all together yet. When he was bumped at the 200, I honestly thought he might give up, but instead he fought hard. He’s grown, he’s matured, and the penny has dropped with him now. I think he has some very big wins ahead,” Melham said.
Trainer Ciaron Maher said the stable had carefully placed the colt and were delighted with the result. “He’s improving every run,” Maher said. “We looked at Adelaide as an option but decided this race was a better fit, and he’s shown us he’s on track for a strong spring. He’s a beautifully bred colt, great physique, and has a bright future.”
Looking forward, Maher said connections would weigh up a path to either the mile of the Caulfield Guineas (1600m) or the sprinting route towards the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) in November. “We’ll let him show us which way to go, but either way, he looks every inch a Group 1 horse,” Maher said.
More Racing News
Weeping Woman too good in the 2025 Razor Sharp Handicap
Joe Pride’s team fired on all cylinders on Saturday, with six runners producing two wins, three seconds and a third across three states, including a dominant stable quinella in the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap at Randwick. Weeping Woman ($2.60 fav) finished strongest to overhaul Coal Crusher ($6), only 35 minutes after...
Warnie flies late to win The Supernova 2025
With a composed ride inspired by Mark Zahra, jockey Thomas Stockdale steered Warnie to a breakthrough victory in the lucrative The Supernova (1400m) at Pakenham. It was a signature moment for Stockdale, who delivered a tactically brilliant performance as the Ciaron Maher-trained runner stormed to victory in Southside Racing’s second slot...
Ingham triumph puts Yorkshire in 2026 Doncaster Mile mix
Tom Charlton may have been only five years old when John O’Shea secured the 2000 Villiers Stakes, but on Saturday the duo jointly celebrated Yorkshire’s commanding victory in the modern equivalent, The Ingham (1600m), at Randwick. The triumph delivered O’Shea a fourth win in the prestigious race and marked Charlton’s first...
Taramansour provides locals with a win in the Pakenham Cup 2025
Taramansour produced a remarkable form reversal to hand Phillip Stokes his first victory in the Pakenham Cup, delivering an emotional local triumph. Stokes, who splits his time between his Morphettville operation and his Pakenham base, has had the Cup on his radar since establishing himself at the training centre in 2019. On...
Bargain buy Where’s The Circus dominates 2025 Inglis Nursery
Jean Van Overmeire made the right call in giving up a full provincial book at Newcastle to focus on a single Randwick mount, with Where’s The Circus landing a stunning upset in the Inglis Nursery. The filly, picked up online for just $1250, had impressed Van Overmeire when winning a recent...
Yorkshire out to make a summer statement in 2025 The Ingham
John O’Shea’s first major breakthrough as a solo trainer came 25 years ago when Grey And Gold captured the Villiers Stakes. He added another victory with On A High and later won the race again in its rebranded form as The Ingham (1600m) in 2022 with Kirwin’s Lane. Now a decorated horseman...
Kris Lees sets sights on another summer strike
Kris Lees has frequently struck during Sydney’s summer feature program, and he will again field a strong hand across Randwick’s stakes races on Saturday. Lees’ achievements over the past decade include victories in The Ingham with Loch Eagle and Sense Of Occasion, as well as Razor Sharp Handicap wins with Special...
Fox on the hunt of 2025 The Supernova win
Emma-Lee and David Browne will “roll the dice” one more time with Statuario as they search for a fairytale hometown victory in the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m). The Kiwi trainers shifted to Victoria in 2022 and settled into Pakenham last season, where a local Cup triumph would be particularly meaningful —...
2025 Pakenham Cup: Browne’s roll the dice one more time
Emma-Lee and David Browne will “roll the dice” one more time with Statuario as they search for a fairytale hometown victory in the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m). The Kiwi trainers shifted to Victoria in 2022 and settled into Pakenham last season, where a local Cup triumph would be particularly meaningful —...
Choice weather forecast for Litt duo in the 2025 Razor Sharp Handicap
Trainer Richard Litt is hoping Sydney’s pending wet weather plays directly into the hands of his runners Barber and Romeo’s Choice when they contest the Razor Sharp Handicap at Randwick. Both horses are expected to appreciate any give in the track, and Litt believes soft conditions could elevate Romeo’s Choice in...