All Too Hard was definitely a good winner of the race. Does another top class youngster appear in the 2023 VRC Sires' Produce (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday?
2023 VRC SIRES' PRODUCE - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The VRC Sires' Produce Stakes is Group 2 race for two-year-olds conducted by the Victoria Racing Club at Flemington and is one of Australia's oldest races for juveniles.
The VRC Sires' Produce Stakes had several changes in name and in distance since it was first run in 1862 as the Flemington Stakes.
The VRC Sires' Produce Stakes was known as the Flemington Stakes until 1867 and from 1868-1873 was named the Sapling Stakes. It was also briefly known as the Ascot Vale Stakes from 1869 to 1873.
There is no sex restriction and set weights for colts/geldings and fillies have applied to the VRC Sires' Produce Stakes since 1870.
The original distance was one mile but the race only had two runnings at this distance before it was reduced to six furlongs.
The VRC Sires' Produce Stakes was run over six furlongs from 1864 to 1919 except for two years in 1870 and 1871 when it was run over five furlongs.
The VRC Sires' Produce Stakes has been run over seven furlongs/1400m since 1920.
The VRC Sires' Produce was a Group One race from 1979 to 2004 and has been Group 2 since 2005.
The VRC Sires' Produce Stakes is traditionally run during the autumn as Melbourne's first two-year-old Group race of the season beyond 1200m.
The VRC Sires' Produce Stakes has been run at Flemington every year with the exception of 2007 when it was transferred to Caulfield.
Six two-year-olds have won the VRC Sires' Produce Stakes/Golden Slipper Stakes double - Pago Pago (1963), Storm Queen (1966), Vain (1969), Full On Aces (1981), and Canny Lad (1990).
Three two-year-olds have won the Blue Diamond Stakes/VRC Sires' Produce Stakes double – Tolerance (1971), Lord Dudley (1975) and Street Café (1984).
There have been 20 winners of the VRC Sires' Produce Stakes and AJC/ATC Sires' Produce Stakes but none since Full On Aces in 1981.
There have been 21 winners of the VRC Sires' Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes but none since Vain in 1969.
Lunar Fox won the Sires and then 12 months later took the Australian Guineas as the biggest priced G1 winner in Australian Racing history – 300-1.
The VRC Sires' Produce Stakes has been won by 16 fillies since 1960.
The race was worth $300,000 in 2023.
Notable winners of the VRC Sires' Produce Stakes include Newminster, Sweet Nell, Wolaroi, Mollison, Young Idea, Hua, High Caste, True Course, Tulloch, Travel Boy, Wenona Girl, Pago Pago, Citius, Storm Queen, Vain, Dual Choice, Century, Imagele, Lord Dudley, Desirable, Mighty Kingdom, Full On Aces, Grosvenor, True Version, Kaapstad, Canny Lad, Blevic, Testa Rossa, Barely A Moment, Shamrocker, All Too Hard and Jameka.
The 2022 VRC Sires' Produce Stakes was won by Let'srollthedice from Man In The Mirror and Yaki Ishi.
