You know spring is in the air when the annual stallion parades begin in earnest and Vinery will showcase its roster with open days this Saturday and Sunday commencing at 8:30am.

Living legend More Than Ready headlines Vinery’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ and he will be joined by All Too Hard, Star Turn, Headwater, Press Statement, Pluck (USA) & Casino Prince.

Vinery are expecting big crowds and beautiful weather over the weekend, which will be the perfect accompaniment to their champagne breakfasts.

More Than Ready could also kick off the weekend in style if he lands an early double at Moonee Valley on Saturday with More Than Ever (R2) and Kooweerup (R3).

More Than Ever is a full-brother to NZ Oaks Gr.1 winner More Than Sacred and is a homebred for Raffles Racing founder Dato Yap.  He completed a hat-trick at Moonee Valley three weeks ago and has opened a $2.60 favourite over the same track and trip in the Sweeney Estate Agents Hcp (2500m).

Off-setting those positives is a 3kg penalty for remaining in a Benchmark 78 event but jockey Jamie Kah is confident he can win again.  “I knew there was so much horse beneath me last time,” she exclaimed.  “He’s not like your normal stayer that just grinds away.  He switches off and then explodes!”

Unbeaten More Than Ready filly Kooweerup begins her spring campaign at Moonee Valley on Saturday after co-trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace decided against a start in the Silver Shadow Stakes Gr.2 at Randwick.

Kooweerup pleased Maher when galloping with stablemate Loving Gaby on Tuesday morning.  “It was strong work and they did it under their own steam,” he said.  “Mark Zahra has done a lot of work with Kooweerup and he gave her a good report.  She’s a horse with quite a bit of ability and is obviously going to improve from the first-up run.”

Kooweerup was very impressive winning on debut at Sandown in April and followed up with a resounding victory in the SA Breeders Stakes Gr.3 at Morphettville.  She’s a daughter of Toorak Hcp Gr.1 winning mare Allez Wonder (Redoute’s Choice) and her main mission will be the Thousand Guineas Gr.1 at Caulfield in October.

Vinery sold her to Yulong Investments owner Zhang Yuesheng for $650,000 at the 2018 Gold Coast Magic Millions and Maher is looking forward to getting her over longer trips than Saturday’s Palentino Plate (1200m).

“She was raw and still furnishing last season.  But she’s a natural and is going places!”

Vinery is double-handed in the Show County Hcp Gr.3 at Randwick on Saturday with untapped talent Trope (More Than Ready) and seasoned sprinter Dothraki (Mossman).

Trope cost $500,000 at the 2017 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale and he flew home from last to win on debut at Randwick in February.  Team Hawkes sent him straight into stakes company and he was far from disgraced with seconds in the Fireball Stakes LR and Hawkesbury Guineas Gr.3.

He sports Alan Bell’s distinctive grey and red diagonal-striped silks which have also been carried by champion sprinter Schillaci and Vinery’s Group 1 stallion Star Turn.

Trope also owns a stallion’s pedigree.  His dam Personify (Galileo) is a stakes-winning half-sister to Champion South African mare Laisserfaire and stakes sires Time Thief and Foreplay.