The nominations for the 2017 The Vanity have been released. The The Vanity will be run on Saturday 18th February at Flemington racecourse.

News:

Mornington trainer Michael Mehegan has landed a stakes winner with his first runner in a black-type race.

Prussian Vixen led throughout in the Group Three Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday to give the former horse breaker his biggest success.

Ridden by Jake Noonan, Prussian Vixen ($12) held on by a half-head to defeat the $3 favourite Silent Sedition with Ameristralia ($5.50) a half-length away third.

Mehegan was noticeably calm as he waited for Prussian Vixen to return to the winners’ enclosure.

“I thought I’d be more nervous today that what I was,” Mehegan said.

Victory on Saturday was Prussian Vixen’s sixth from 21 starts and pushed her prize money towards $300,000.

Mehegan said Prussian Vixen had endured a tough campaign when last in work.

“This preparation, every time we’ve stepped her up, she’s improved,” Mehegan said.

“Last preparation she kept tying up and had a joint problem, but this prep we gave her a good spell and there’s been no problems with her.

“She might not be the best bred horse in the country but she’s very tough.”

Mehegan said the Bellmaine Stakes came on his radar following Prussian Vixen’s win at Caulfield last month.

“I had thought about this around five weeks ago, but more so after she ran third to Ameristralia three weeks ago at Moonee Valley,” Mehegan said.

“We looked at Tassie but decided to come here.

“It’s turned out perfectly.”