Chief Stipe Posted November 10, 2020 Share Posted November 10, 2020 Arc plans firm-up for Elleegant Andrew Eddy 10 November, 2020 Brae Sokolski is rueing Verry Elleegant's lost opportunity in her one and only Melbourne Cup start, but the wonderful Spring Carnival of his mare has confirmed his view that the Caulfield Cup winner should be bound for one of the world's greatest races next year. Sokolski's Melbourne Cup runners Verry Elleegant, Finche and Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet are all out spelling and while all three will return to racing in the autumn, next spring is likely to see Verry Elleegant a world away preparing to contest the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France. "We've always thought that she is going to be at her best as a six-year-old and she's a proven world-class mare who loves wet ground and deserves to be tried on the world stage," Sokolski said on Tuesday. "She'll be at the peak of her powers at her favourite trip and we'd love to see what she could do." Verry Elleegant finished seventh in last week's Melbourne Cup after getting well out of her ground for much of the race. The fact she finished on hard to record the quickest final 600 metres of the race proved to her connections that she could handle two miles, but Sokolski said she will never be tried over 3200m again. "That was her one and only chance at it and we thought she ran very well after getting too far back," he said. "She lost sight of the leader and just couldn't win from where she was, but she really finished off bravely." Verry Elleegant (NZ) Trainer C.J.Waller Age 5YO Sex Mare Colour Brown Prize Money $7,056,044 Last 5 14117 Career 25-11-5-1 POS Jockey Track Date DIST Race WGT MRG Odds 7 – 23 M.Zahra FLEM 3 NOV 20 3200m MELB CUP 55.5kg 3.8L $10 % 1 – 18 M.Zahra CAUL 17 OCT 20 2400m CAUL CUP 55kg 0.2L $5 % 1 – 15 M.Zahra FLEM 3 OCT 20 2000m TURNBULL 55.5kg 0.1L $5 % 4 – 7 J.B.McDonald RAND 19 SEP 20 1600m GEO MAIN 57kg 1.6L $2.20 1 – 16 J.B.McDonald RAND 22 AUG 20 1400m WINX STKS 57kg 0.1L $7.50 Given the path to an Arc for an Australian is virtually untrodden, Sokolski said a plan on how to get her to the race is yet to be determined. Firstly, Verry Elleegant will have a busy autumn campaign and one that looks most familiar for the millions of fans of former super mare Winx. Verry Elleegant will take a Winx-like path through races such as the Apollo Stakes, Chipping Norton Stakes and Ranvet Stakes on her way to possibly a Tancred (2400m), or like Winx, a 2000-metre Queen Elizabeth Stakes. "She's not Winx, but there's no doubt she's the best mile-and-a-half horse in the country," Sokolski said. She could then go to Europe early and run over Royal Ascot in June to prepare for the Arc in September. Sokolski said he felt Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet did not stay the 3200-metre Cup distance but that Finche, who shared the early lead with eventual winner Twilight Payment, could again go to the trip in autumn's Sydney Cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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