Verry Elleegant (foaled 12 October 2015) is a

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

-bred Australian-trained

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

racehorse that has won 11 Group One races. She was crowned the 2020/2021 Australian Racehorse of the Year, and was the winner of the 2021

Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and over, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria as part of the Melb ...

and 2020

Caulfield Cup The Caulfield Cup is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under handicap conditions, although the Melbourne Racing Club is in the process of turning the race into weight for age (WFA) conditions. This is for all horses ...

Background

Verry Elleegant is out of the New Zealand race mare Opulence, which was owned by her initial trainer, Nick Bishara. After Opulence won two races she was sold at the 2011 Mixed Sale at Karaka to Don Goodwin, who is the owner of Very Elleegant's sire, Zed. The horse was named after Goodwin's granddaughter Ellee. Previously, he had named her brother "Verry Flash", adopting the "verry" spelling to be distinctive. Both Bishara and Goodwin struck up a friendship and raced Verry Elleegant until she was sold to clients of Australian trainer Darren Weir.

Racing career

2017/18: two-year-old season

Verry Elleegant made her racing debut on 7 July 2018. She finished second at Te Rapa Racecourse in

, ridden by Rowena Smyth in the Majestic Horse Floats Plate.

2018/19: three-year-old season

One month after her debut run, Verry Elleegant won her first race, a maiden, in convincing style at Ruakaka when ridden by Rowena Smyth. After producing a last to first victory, Smyth said after the race, "That was awesome the way she picked them up and flew past them. She just took off. Once she gets over a trip when she is older she is going to be a lovely filly." After back-to-back wins with a further dominant victory at

Matamata Matamata () is a town in Waikato, New Zealand. It is located near the base of the Kaimai Ranges, and is a thriving farming area known for Thoroughbred horse breeding and training pursuits. It is part of the Matamata-Piako District, which tak ...

Racecourse in a benchmark 65 race, Verry Elleegant was sold and transferred to Australian trainer, Darren Weir, with the intention of the horse participating in the forthcoming

Spring Racing Carnival The Spring Racing Carnival is the name of an Australian Thoroughbred horse racing series held annually in Melbourne during October and November. The Carnival and its status in the wider community Although racing in Australia is held every day exc ...

. Darren Weir’s Australian clients purchased a fifty per cent share of the horse, with Jomara Bloodstock and the original ownership group retaining a 25 per cent share. At her Australian debut, Verry Elleegant ran a luckless third placing in the Edward Manifold Stakes. Former trainer and part owner Nick Bishara said after the race, "It's a pity she didn't win, but still it was a top run and it showed she is up to the class over there." Despite the third placing, Verry Elleegant firmed into favouritism for the

Group 1 Group 1 may refer to: * Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal * Group 1 (racing), a historic (until 1981) classification for Touring car racing, applied to standard touring cars. Comparable to modern FIA Group N * Group On ...

VRC Oaks The Victoria Racing Club Oaks (known as the Kennedy Oaks for sponsorship reasons), is a Victoria Racing Club (VRC) Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies, run under set weights conditions, over 2,500 metres at Flemington Racec ...

. In what is considered a lead up to the Oaks, Verry Elleegant ran in the Ethereal Stakes. She raced fiercely in the early stages of the 2000-metre race, but rider John Allen settled her into a midfield position. Allen angled her out into clear space in the straight, and she stretched out to win by half a length. Verry Elleegant finished unplaced in her next two starts, the Wakeful Stakes and the

. Following these runs she was removed from the stables of trainer Darren Weir, due to Police charging him with animal cruelty offences and conspiracy to defraud. She was transferred to the Sydney stables of trainer Chris Waller. After a 3-month break Verry Elleegant was successful in two

races in succession, the Vinery Stud Stakes and the Australian Oaks. After her win in the Oaks trainer Waller said, "That was a brilliant win. She’s a very exceptional filly and I think the best is yet to come."

2019/20: four-year-old season

Verry Elleegant returned to racing on 24 August 2019 however finished unplaced in the Winx Stakes. She then finished unplaced at her next start behind Avilius in the George Main Stakes. On 5 October she was a last stride winner in the

Hill Stakes The Hill Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race run at Weight for Age over a distance of 2000 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in September. Total prize money for the race is A$1,000,000. History 1921 ...

. She then contested the 2019

Cox Plate The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racing Club at Moo ...

at the odds of 20/1, however was beaten some 10 lengths by Japanese horse

Lys Gracieux Lys Gracieux ( ja, 'リスグラシュー, link=no, foaled 18 January 2014) is a champion Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2016 she showed top-class form, winning two of her four starts (including the Artemis Stakes) and fin ...

. Jockey James McDonald said after the race, “It's probably a year too soon for her. She just doesn't execute well enough for a Cox Plate." After a four month break, Verry Elleegant resumed racing on 15 February 2020 and was a fast finishing fourth behind Alizee in the Apollo Stakes. Two second placings followed in the

Chipping Norton Stakes The Chipping Norton Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, run at weight for age, over a distance of 1600 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in February or March. Prizem ...

and the

Ranvet Stakes The Ranvet Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older over a distance of 2,000 metres, held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in March. Total prize money is A$7 ...

before she won her third

race in the

Tancred Stakes H E Tancred Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, run over 2,400 metres at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia. The prize money for the event is A$1,5 ...

2020/21: five-year-old season

On 22 August 2020, Verry Elleegant returned to racing after a four month break in the Winx Stakes at Randwick. Starting the fourth favourite at odds of $7.50, she sat wide throughout the run and after hitting the front in the straight she was then clearly headed by stablemate Star Of The Seas. However under vigorous riding from jockey James McDonald, Verry Elleegant fought back to win the race by a narrow margin and captured her fourth

race. On 19 September 2020, Verry Elleegant started the $2.20 favourite in the George Main Stakes at Randwick. She got back in the small field of only seven runners before jockey James McDonald went for a tight run in the straight, however he was forced back onto the fence by the Godolphin raced Oaks winner

Colette Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (; 28 January 1873 – 3 August 1954), known mononymously as Colette, was a French author and woman of letters. She was also a mime, actress, and journalist. Colette is best known in the English-speaking world for her ...

. Eventually Verry Elleegant finished unplaced in fourth position but only beaten by just over a length margin by stable mate

Kolding Kolding () is a Danish seaport located at the head of Kolding Fjord in the Region of Southern Denmark. It is the seat of Kolding Municipality. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre, and has numerous industrial companie ...

. On 3 October 2020, Verry Elleegant had her next race in the

Turnbull Stakes The Turnbull Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race, for horses four years old and older, run under set weights with penalties conditions over a distance of 2,000 metres. The race is held at Flemington Racecourse, Me ...

at Flemington. Starting as the $5 favourite she won the race in a close finish with only one length separating the first six placings. This proved to be her fifth victory at

level. Trainer Chris Waller who trained the first three runners past the post said after the race, "She’s (Verry Elleegant) tough, she’s back on track and looking forward to the

". On October 17, Verry Elleegant started the $5 favourite in the

. Ridden by Mark Zahra, she settled in the second half of the field throughout, before making her move 600 metres from the finish line. After hitting the front in the home straight, she went head-to-head with Irish horse Anthony Van Dyck who drew level with her, however Verry Elleegant produced a late effort to win by a margin of a short neck. On November 3, Verry Elleegant attempted to achieve the historic

double, but she finished seventh in the 2020 Melbourne Cup to Twilight Payment. She started from barrier 15 and carried 55.5 kg and was beaten just under 4 lengths. On 13 February 2021 Verry Elleegant resumed racing in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick over 1,400 metres. Starting the $2.50 favourite she finished in third placing, beaten just over 2 lengths by the Godolphin mare

. On 27 February she was successful in her seventh Group 1 race when defeating the Godolphin horses

and Avilius in the

. On 27 February she defeated Addeybb in the

. Trainer Chris Waller described her after the race as being, "world-class”.

2021/22: six-year-old season

Verry Elleegant returned to racing after a 3 and a half month spell on 21 August 2021 in the Winx Stakes at Randwick. She started favourite at $4.20, but finished second by a quarter of a length to Mo'unga. On 18 September she ran in the Group 1 George Main Stakes at Randwick. She started odds on favourite at $1.75 and won by a three-quarter length over Riodini. On 2 October, she returned to defend her

victory the year prior at Flemington. She started as favourite at $2.10, ahead of

Incentivise Incentivise (foaled 22 October 2016) is a multiple Group One winning Australian thoroughbred racehorse. Background Incentivise was homebred by his owner and original trainer Steve Tregea at his Windermere Stud property in the Darling Downs of ...

at $2.70. She jumped well, settling two out from the rail in fourth. She maintained this position until 500m to go, where she drew alongside the leaders four from the rail. She held here before being dropped at the 150m, eventually finishing 4th behind Incentivise, Young Werther and Chapada, three and a half lengths shy of the winner. Verry Elleegant was placed third in the

behind State Of Rest and

Anamoe Anamoe (foaled 16 November 2018) is a nine-time Group 1 winning Australian thoroughbred racehorse. Background A homebred for Godolphin, Anamoe is a half-brother to Irish stakes-winner Anamba and is out of the 2007 Australasian Oaks winner A ...

. On 2 November she won the 2021 Melbourne Cup, ridden by James McDonald, ahead of

and Spanish Mission. It was the first Melbourne Cup victory for both trainer Chris Waller and jockey James McDonald.

2022/23: seven-year-old season

In May 2022, Verry Elleegant was transferred to the Chantilly, France stable of Francis-Henri Graffard to build up for an attempt at the prestigious

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, France, over a distance ...

Longchamp Racecourse The Longchamp Racecourse (french: Hippodrome de Longchamp) is a 57 hectare horse-racing facility located on the Route des Tribunes at the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, France. It is used for flat racing and is noted for its variety of interlaced ...

in October 2022 but was excluded from the race due to various conditions. After a disappointing campaign in France and at Ascot Verry Ellegant was retired.

Racing summary

The following are some of Verry Elleegant's races. Source: Racingandsports, Racing.com profiles

Pedigree

*Verry Elleegant is

inbred Inbreeding is the production of offspring from the mating or breeding of individuals or organisms that are closely related genetically. By analogy, the term is used in human reproduction, but more commonly refers to the genetic disorders and o ...

3 × 3 to Danehill, meaning that this stallion appears twice in the third generation of her pedigree. She is also inbred 4 × 4 to the mare Cotehele House.

Notes

References

{{reflist Racehorses bred in New Zealand Racehorses trained in New Zealand Racehorses trained in Australia 2015 racehorse births Caulfield Cup winners Thoroughbred family 9-c Melbourne Cup winners