Vain (horse)

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Vain was a champion thoroughbred racehorse that dominated Australian sprint racing in the period 1968-70, and went on to become a top sire. The chestnut colt by Wilkes out of the Orgoglio mare Elated won 12 of 14 races he contested, and ran second in the other two.

As a two year old he was unbeaten in Melbourne in the spring of 1968 and autumn of 1969, winning races such as the VRC Sires Produce. Moving to Sydney he won the STC Golden Slipper Stakes by 4 lengths, and the AJC Champagne Stakes by 10 lengths, the later in the fastest time ever recorded for a two year old over 6 furlongs.

As a three year old he won the VATC Caulfield Guineas by 3 lengths, then campaigned in the VRC Spring Carnival, winning over 8 days the Cravan A Stakes by 12 lengths, the VRC Linlithgow Stakes by 6 lengths, and in his final race carried a record 10 lb over weight-for-age in winning the 1969 George Adams Handicap. Vain set Australian prizemoney records as a two year old and three year old.

Vain was bred and raced by Melbourne brothers Walter, Fred and George Johnson, and was trained by Jim Moloney in the Melbourne suburb of Mentone. His normal jockey was Pat Hyland, who rode him to all his wins.

He was retired to stud at the end of his 3 year old season, in 1970, when he was injured in a track gallop. He was placed at Widden Stud in the Hunter Valley where he sired 370 winners, between them winning almost 1800 races. Vain sired two Golden Slipper winners and was an Australian Champion Sire. Vain died in 1991.

Vain was Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year in 1969-70, and was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.