Ladbrokes Tip: Vain Stakes horses can go on to run in the Coolmore Stud Stakes!
The latest edition of the Vain Stakes ran on Saturday, August 16, 2025 at Caulfield Racecourse as a lead-up to the Group 1 spring races for three-year-old horses and saw the Ciaron Maher trained top fancy Jimmy Recard ($3.60F) salute in a hat-trick for his first Group race success.
2025 Vain Stakes Results
The official Vain Stakes 2025 Results & Finishing Order will be announced below once the Group 3 race is run and won on Saturday, August 16, 2025.
- 1st: #5 Jimmy Recard
- 2nd: #1 Tycoon Star
- 3rd: #7 Express Class
The Group 1 Caulfield Guineas on October 11 is a spring option for Ciaron Maher’s emerging young star Jimmy Recard ($3.60F) after he overcame some late race mishaps to dig deep and salute in the Vain Stakes 2025 results.
2025 Vain Stakes Odds
The best P.B. Lawrence Stakes Day betting markets on the Group 3 Vain Stakes 2025 will be available right here as soon as Vain Stakes betting opens.
| 5. Jimmy Recard (1) J: Jamie Melham 56kg 8x11T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 1. Tycoon Star (2) J: Mark Zahra 58kg 4340xT: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | ||
| 7. Express Class (4) J: Patrick Moloney 56kg 1T: Gerard Moloney | ||
| 6. Sonofkirk (7) J: Jye McNeil 56kg 31T: Anthony & Sam Freedman | ||
| 2. Shining Smile (5) J: Daniel Stackhouse 57kg 111x1T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | ||
| 8. Hay Street (6) J: Ethan Brown 56kg 24xT: Annabel & Rob Archibald | ||
| 4. Shaggy (3) J: Ben Melham 56kg 115x7T: Allan Kehoe |
The Vain Stakes is a Group 3 race for three-year-old colts and geldings run during August at Caulfield Racecourse during the early stages of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
Run under set weights plus penalties conditions the race takes place over a short sprint distance of 1100m and offers $200,000 in total prize money. This is one of two Group 3 races on the Caulfield card for PB Lawrence Stakes Day along with the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m), which is the fillies’ equivalent.
The meeting is headlined by the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m). The Vain Stakes is a good early season lead-up for three-year-olds heading towards tougher sprint races over the carnival including the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington Racecourse on Victoria Derby Day. The last horse to complete the Vain Stakes – Coolmore Stud Stakes double was Sepoy (2011).
In 2019 the Vain Stakes winner Bivouac went on to win Sydney’s Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes that preparation and finished runner-up in the Coolmore Stud Stakes. He also returned in the autumn of 2020 to win the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) down the famous Flemington ‘Straight Six’.
The 2021 Vain Stakes results were franked with the winner Giga Kick going on to win the Group 2 Danehill Stakes next start before his upset success in Sydney’s the The Everest (1200m) that spring at 20/1.
Vain Stakes Race Info
- Date: Saturday, August 16, 2025
- Track: Caulfield
- Distance: 1100m
- Conditions: 3YO Colts & Geldings – Set weights plus Penalties
- Status: Group 3
- Prize Money: $200,000
- First Run: 1992
Vain Stakes Betting
Vain Stakes betting markets open the Wednesday before the race following the field and barrier draw for the Group 3 sprint showdown. Each year the Vain Stakes odds are led by resuming three-year-olds with a good first-up record that have previous experience over the distance.
Melbourne runners and past Caulfield performers that had a good two-year-old season last time in also sit high up the race’s betting odds. Upsets are not uncommon and the last winner to jump at double-figures in the Vain Stakes markets was Our Playboy ($12 in 2020).
Bivouac ($3 in 2019), Cylinder ($1.50 in 2023) and Jimmy Recard ($3.60 in 2025) are the latest favourites in Vain Stakes betting to salute for the punters.
Vain Stakes Field
Vain Stakes graduates have a host of next-up options including the Group 3 HDF McNeil Stakes (1200m) at the same track / distance a fortnight later, a double last completed by Gold Symphony (2015). In 2013 the runner-up Fast ‘N’ Rocking also backed-up to win the McNeil Stakes two weeks later.
The Vain Stakes race field attracts a line-up of smart young male sprinters heading towards other similar Group events for their age group over the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. Most of the three-year-old colts and geldings in the field are contesting the race first-up off a winter spell.
The Vain Stakes nominations close the Monday of race week followed by the release of the final field and barriers on the Wednesday before the Group 3 runs on the Saturday.
2025 Vain Stakes Field
The official Vain Stakes 2025 Final Field & Barrier Draw for the Coolmore Stud Stakes spring lead-up will be published below following acceptances.
The Vain Stakes 2025 final field features eight gallopers with potential Group 1 spring targets in mind including Lindsay Park’s last start Flemington winner Shining Smile chasing his sixth win on the trot and the stable’s returning Blue Diamond placegetter Tycoon Star.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Tycoon Star
J: Mark Zahra
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
x4340x | C | 2 | 58kg | |
|
2. Shining Smile
J: Daniel Stackhouse
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
x111x1 | C | 5 | 57kg | |
| 3. Mcgaw (7) Scratched: | |||||
|
4. Shaggy
J: Ben Melham
T: Allan Kehoe |
1115x7 | G | 3 | 56kg | |
|
5. Jimmy Recard
J: Jamie Melham
T: Ciaron Maher |
8x11 | C | 1 | 56kg | |
|
6. Sonofkirk
J: Jye McNeil
T: Anthony & Sam Freedman |
31 | C | 7 | 56kg | |
|
7. Express Class
J: Patrick Moloney
T: Gerard Moloney |
1 | G | 4 | 56kg | |
|
8. Hay Street
J: Ethan Brown
T: Annabel & Rob Archibald |
24x | G | 6 | 56kg | |
2025 Vain Stakes Nominations
The early Vain Stakes 2025 nominations are taken by Racing Victoria on the Monday of race week and will be detailed below.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1531x | BLITZBURG | C | 3 | Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | 80 |
| 2 | DECANTED (NZ) | C | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | ||
| 3 | 1 | EXPRESS CLASS | G | 3 | Gerard Moloney | 65 |
| 4 | 224x | FACILITATE | G | 3 | Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin | 63 |
| 5 | 24x | HAY STREET | G | 3 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 64 |
| 6 | 8×11 | JIMMY RECARD | C | 3 | Ciaron Maher | 69 |
| 7 | 11x | MCGAW | G | 3 | Emma-Lee & David Browne | 72 |
| 8 | 217x | MISSILE MAGNATE | C | 3 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 63 |
| 9 | 6×381 | REDDERS | C | 3 | Danny O’Brien | 62 |
| 10 | 1115×7 | SHAGGY | G | 3 | Allan Kehoe | 74 |
| 11 | 231x111x1 | SHINING SMILE | C | 3 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 82 |
| 12 | 31 | SONOFKIRK | C | 3 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 68 |
| 13 | 9126×5 | STEEL KNIGHT | G | 3 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 62 |
| 14 | 14x4340x | TYCOON STAR | C | 3 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 86 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Vain Stakes Tips
Good Vain Stakes tips to consider before placing your spring bets include looking at resuming runners with a strong record when fresh, past winners over the distance and youngsters with form the Melbourne way of going.
Favourites also have a strong recent record in the race so sticking with the punters’ pick is also a top Vain Stakes betting tip with Tony Nicconi ($2.15 in 2018) and Bivouac ($3 in 2019) going back-to-back for the punters’ picks before the 2023 success of the odds-on elect Cylinder ($1.50). The favourites were also on top in 2025 with Jimmy Recard ($3.60) overcoming inteference to still salute.
2025 Vain Stakes Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ insider Vain Stakes 2025 betting tips for the Group 3 on PB Lawrence Stakes Day will be detailed below the week of the race.
- To Win: #3 Mcgaw ($7 at time of publish) – BET NOW
Really open edition of the Vain Stakes where the early Caulfield Guineas betting picture will get a little clearer. For value, MCGAW (7) stands out for mine being an undefeated son of I Am Immortal with a budding record. The Emma-Lee & David Browne trained gelding chases his third win from as many starts, has won over this 1100m distance fresh when saluting on debut at Pakenham by 3.5 lengths in January and he’s also proven at the Caulfield track. He was last seen winning here in mid-March when taking out the lucrative $1 million VOBIS Platinum Showdown (1200m) by a half-length over Befuddle. He overcame gate 13 of 15 that day and is set to appreciate facing just seven rivals on Saturday. He benefits from the booking of Damian Lane again, Lane having ridden him for his two previous starts, and having carried 58kg in both of those victories he’ll also relish the 56kg in the Group 3. Big future and big claims to prove that here.
Vain Stakes Form Guide
The Vain Stakes form guide is released as soon as the field of final acceptors is out the week of the race and features crucial information including the jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up runs of the horses in the line-up.
The Vain Stakes form has stacked up in other Melbourne Group races many times in recent years including the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington the next month. Jukebox (2017) recently backing-up from his Vain Stakes success to run second in the Danehill.
In 2011 Sepoy won the Vain Stakes – Danehill Stakes double and also went on to win three more times later in the Carnival including in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley and the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Giga Kick (2022) was the last three-year-old to do the Vain Stakes – Danehill Stakes double. Giga Kick further franked the Vain Stakes form with a win in that year’s The Everest race, while he returned in 2023 for a host more wins including in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes and Doomben 10,000.
More recently the 2021 Vain Stakes winner Ingratiating went on to run third in that year’s Manikato Stakes trifecta.
Another key race to follow the Vain Stakes form line through to is the lucrative Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) held on the Wednesday of the Caulfield Cup Carnival. In 2017 the Vain Stakes winner Jukebox ran second in the Blue Sapphire, while Tony Nicconi ran third in the race a year later following his Vain Stakes success in 2018.
In 2023 the Vain Stakes winner Cylinder went on to win the Group 2 Run To The Rose next-up before a third in the Golden Rose trifecta in Sydney.
2025 Vain Stakes Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Ladbrokes’ Vain Stakes 2025 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
Vain Stakes Results
The Vain Stakes race results have been dominated by single-figure favourites with the most notable recent Vain Stakes winners being Sepoy (2011); Russian Revolution (2016) who went on to win the Group 1 The Galaxy (2017) and Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (2018); and Bivouac (2019) who won that season’s Golden Rose Stakes (2019); and the following year’s Newmarket Handicap (2020).
Subsequent The Everest winner Giga Kick set a new Vain Stakes race record in 2022 winning in 1 minute 02.8 seconds.
Past Vain Stakes Winners
Recent Vain Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2011 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | 2nd | 3rd | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jimmy Recard | Tycoon Star | Express Class | 1:05.29 |
| 2024 | Band Of Brothers | Let’sfacethemusic | Wonder Boy | 1:03.61 |
| 2023 | Cylinder | Ouroboros | I Am Unstoppable | 1:03.1 |
| 2022 | Giga Kick | Alpha One | Millane | 1:02.8 |
| 2021 | Ingratiating | General Beau | Generation | 1:03.9 |
| 2020 | Our Playboy | Ranting | Rulership | 1:04.9 |
| 2019 | Bivouac | Sebrakate | Dirty Work | 1:03.4 |
| 2018 | Tony Nicconi | Long Leaf | Native Soldier | 1:04.8 |
| 2017 | Jukebox | Plutocracy | Poseidon’s Pool | 1:04.8 |
| 2016 | Russian Revolution | Highland Beat | Hardham | 1:05.1 |
| 2015 | Gold Symphony | Top Me Up | Star Planet | 1:04.4 |
| 2014 | Get The Nod | Stingray | Boomwaa | 1:03.8 |
| 2013 | Safeguard | Fast ‘n’ Rocking | Hill Spy | 1:04.8 |
| 2012 | Psychic Mick | Planet Voyage | Free Of Doubt | 1:06.1 |
| 2011 | Sepoy | Golden Archer | Grand Brittania | 1:03.9 |
FAQ
Who won the 2025 Vain Stakes?
The 2025 Vain Stakes was won by three-year-old I Am Invincible colt Jimmy Recard at $3.60 favouritism for trainer Ciaron Maher with jockey Jamie Melham aboard on 56kg from barrier 1 to win by 0.25 lengths on a Soft (6) track in a time of 1:05.29.
When is the Vain Stakes 2025?
Saturday, August 16, 2025What is the prize money for the Vain Stakes 2025?
$200,000
Where is the Vain Stakes 2025?
Caulfield Racecourse, Gate 2, Station St, Caulfield East VIC 3145.
How do I bet on the 2025 Vain Stakes?
Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android apps with Ladbrokes.
The first step is to create an account at ladbrokes.com.au. The process is quick and easy!
Once you've created your account you can make a deposit via credit card, or any other of our secure payment methods. Next up, head to the racing page and find the race and runner that's right for you.
Which horse will win the 2025 Vain Stakes?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Vain Stakes is to take into account the form, assess the barriers, and consider the weight the horse will carry (among other factors). Check out ladbrokes.com.au in the lead up to the race for full form information.