Faint Perfume, installed as the $4.60 equal favourite with Set For Fame, ran a spirited race overtaking the near winner Valdemoro ($8.50), the rival filly having secured the lead inside the 200m, in the final moments to secure a mere half neck win.

Third placegetter Absolute Faith ($51) finished a further 5 ¼ lengths back while equal favourite Set For Fame ran a lacklustre ninth after finding the 2000m distance too testing.

Ridden by big race specialist Michael Rodd, Faint Perfume left her supporters in disarray right up until to closing stages. At the 800m mark she trailed by 15 lengths and with only 400m to go she was still in 11^th spot. But her powerful and unforgettable finishing burst saw her come away with the win, close as it might have been.

Three-year-old daughter of Shamardal, Faint Perfume’s win on Saturday was her fifth victory from just ten starts and she has now earned her connections a lucrative $1,372,290 in prizemoney.

Opting to skip next Saturday’s alluring $1.3million AJC Australian Derby, Faint Perfume will be saved for the $350,000 AJC Australian Oaks on April 17 where she will again face off against her fellow three-year-old fillies.

The Tony Vasil-trained Valdemoro also ran second to Faint Perfume last spring when the two star fillies competed in the VRC Oaks at Flemington. The pair are set for another showdown when they meet in the AJC Australian Oaks in a fortnights time.

Stunning two-year-old filly Crystal Lily was the big winner at Rosehill on Saturday, taking out the meeting’s feature event, the $3.5million Group 1 Golden Slipper ahead of a mighty field of fine young runners.

Vinery Stud Stakes Results

As part of the excellent line up of feature events on the day, the $400, 000 Group 1 Storm Queen Stakes (2000m) is due to run and will be known this year as the Vinery Stud Stakes.

The 2010 Vinery Stud Stakes (a.k.a. Storm Queen Stakes) will be contested by a capacity field of 16 three-year-old fillies with two top contenders currently fighting for favouritism.

Leading the way for now at $4.80 with IASbet is the Bart Cummings-trained Faint Perfume. Despite a luckless ninth place last start in the Coolmore Classic and a wide barrier 11 draw for the Vinery Stud Stakes, the daughter of Shamardal is still receiving plenty of support from the punters.

Following closely at $5 is Valdemoro, trained by Tony Vasil and due to be ridden by Blake Shinn.  A winner of their last two starts, the Encosta De Lago filly is seeking their maiden Group success in the Storm Queen Stakes.

The Storm Queen Stakes on Saturday boasts one of the most open fields in many years, with plenty of quality fillies in with a good chance of coming away with the win.

Other top contenders include the Peter Moody-trained Angus Armanasco Stakes winner coming off a gallant second to Rock Classic in the Group 1 Crown Guineas Set For Fame (barrier 12) and Run For Naara also drawn wide in 14.

Gai Waterhouse has her promising young stayer Once Were Wild starting in the race, drawn ideally in barrier three. The Johannesburg filly has had a stunning strike rate to date, winning five of their six race starts but is yet to secure a big win.

Randwick trainer Waterhouse is making an imposing assault on the Golden Slipper meeting at Rosehill on Saturday gearing up eight horses from her stables for success – Zutara in the $125, 000 Listed The Schweppervesence (1400m), More Joyous and Montana Flyer in the $400, 000 Group 1 Queen of the Turf Stakes (1500m), odds-on favourite Theseo in the $2.25million Group 1 The BMW (2400m), the talented Brightexpectations and More Strawberries in the feature race of the day the $3.5million Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m), Descarado in the $150, 000 Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) and Swift Alliance in the $125, 000 Group 3 The Sebring Stakes (1100m).

The 2010 Storm Queen Stakes – registered as the 2010 Vinery Stud Stakes – is scheduled to jump at 1:05pm (NSW time) as race three.

2010 Vinery Stud Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

Both the number and quality of nominations for 2010 Storm Queen Stakes is impressive and includes Bart Cummings’ Crown Oaks winner Faint Perfume who will be looking to atone for her listless ninth place finish in the Coolmore Classic last start.

Faint Perfume will be looking to atone for her listless ninth place finish in the Coolmore Classic last start

Peter Moody has nominated his impressive daughter of Reset, Set For Fame in the feature. Set For Fame had a stunning start to the season taking out the Group 2 Angus Armanasco Stakes two starts back before running a gallant second to Rock Classic in the Group 1 Australian Guineas at Flemington.

Caulfield-based trainer Moody has also nominated Speedy Natalie and, winner of her last two starts, Ocean Dream in the Storm Queen Stakes.

John Thompson also has three of his top fillies nominated for Saturday’s race – Small Minds coming off two brilliant wins including her last start victory in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks, runner up to her stablemate in the Australasian Oaks No Evidence Needed, and Run For Naara who ran third in the Rosehill Guineas last start.

The final 16-horse capacity final field for the 2010 Vinery Stud Stakes (aka Storm Queen Stakes) will be published here later in the week.

2010 Vinery Stud Stakes Nominations

The Storm Queen Stakes is one of an incredible nine races lighting up the track at the meeting. Other feature events held on the day include the $3.5million Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes, $2.25million Group 1 The BMW, $400, 000 Group 1 George Ryder Stakes and the $400, 000 Group 1 Queen of the Turf Stakes.

One of the best preparatory races to keep an eye on in the lead-up to the 2010 Storm Queen Stakes is the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m) held at Warwick Farm on Saturday March 6.

A promising filly on her way to the 2010 Storm Queen Stakes is the Tim Martin-trained Indian Ocean

A promising filly on her way to the 2010 Storm Queen Stakes is the Tim Martin-trained Indian Ocean. Martin was impressed with the young daughter of Danehill Dancer on February 27 when she ran a solid sixth in the Hobartville Stakes to her stablemate Monton. Indian Ocean will first run in the Ranvet Stakes on March 20 and then focus on the Storm Queen Stakes.

Also on the path to Group 1 success in the Storm Queen Stakes is the talented Dane Shadow filly Hurtle Myrtle. Prepared by Matthew Smith, Hurtle Myrtle gave the Warwick Farm trainer his maiden Group 1 starter when she ran a gallant third in the Flight Stakes last spring.

Smith is hoping she can step it up now and secure her maiden Group victory during the autumn. Hurtle Myrtle placed fourth in the Listed Triscay Stakes last start and will next target the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m) on March 6, where her performance will determine whether or not Smith will aim her at the Storm Queen Stakes.

Nominations for the 2010 Storm Queen Stakes close on Monday March 29 and then the final field of accepted fillies will be announced on Wednesday March 31 and made available here.