Verry Elleegant - Chipping Norton Stakes 2022 - her elleventh Group 1

[Chief Stipe]

She's back!  From a Group 1 win in one of the toughest 3200m races the Melbourne Cup on a Good 1 track to today winning the Chipping Norton on a very Heavy 10 track over 1600m.

Takes a very special Champion to do that.

Her condition looked even better than last season.

[Chief Stipe]

 

 

[holy ravioli]

Magnificent win...what a horse...every distance,every track condition.👋

[Huey]

Absolute class!

[Freda]

I'm not into trying to compare different horses, or those from years ago to now - pointless IMO  -  and every great horse is a privilege to witness.

But how many would have shown the class she has over such a wide array of distances?

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Freda said:

I'm not into trying to compare different horses, or those from years ago to now - pointless IMO 

Every point - that's what makes the sport interesting.  I doubt there has been a mare as competitive and as versatile as this.  She seems to be getting better as well.  Yesterday she pinged out of the gates and was handy.  JMac rode her a peach - got her back under him without her fighting him, eased her along the rails, then eased her off the rails to be ready to pounce down the outside. 

1 hour ago, Freda said:

But how many would have shown the class she has over such a wide array of distances?

Or at WFA and Handicap and sex/age group.

Or so many different tracks.

Or win their maiden at Ruakaka.

All but 2 of her 36 starts have been in Group races - 31 of those in Grp 1 (24) or Grp 2 (7) races.

 

[Chief Stipe]

[Chief Stipe]

Winx, regarded by many as the greatest of them all, casts a very long shadow but Verry Elleegant is certainly building a race record that is comparable to the great champions of the turf including:

#Verry Elleegant scored her 11th career Group 1 win. The only mares to win more majors are Winx (25), Black Caviar (15), Melody Belle (14) and Sunline (13).

#She took her career earnings to $14,638,244 which moves her above Makybe Diva ($14,527,110) and into fourth position on the all-time list.

#She became the first Melbourne Cup winner to return and win the Chipping Norton Stakes in the same season since Rain Lover in 1968-69.

#Waller trained his 10th Chipping Norton Stakes winner in 12 years, equalling the record held by the late Tommy Smith.

It’s the measure of her greatness that Verry Elleegant can return from a successful Melbourne Cup campaign and win second-up in a 1600m weight-for-age race.

“There are no other words for it but to say she is freakish,’’ Waller said.

Verry Elleegant found another gear late to stave off the challenge of outsider She’s Ideel. Picture: Getty Images

“I wouldn’t say she bounces through her campaigns, she puts everything into it but she is so tough, so resilient.’’

On that theme, Verry Elleegant’s jockey, James McDonald, also marvels at the mare’s ability to race at a high level season after season.

“I just can’t believe every time we turn up for a preparation she just seems to get better and better. I know it’s crazy to say but she literally is,’’ McDonald said.

“She just turns up, doesn’t matter what conditions, what distance, she’ll perform really well. It’s hard to believe she won a Group 1 over seven furlongs and two miles but anything beyond 2000m she’s running top three. It takes a very good horse to beat her.

“For her to pull out all stops at these kinds of trips is incredible. Obviously the wet track has helped her but she’s a star, she’s an absolute star. I’m so lucky to be a part of it.

“I think she should have won a Queen Elizabeth by now if things went right. Hopefully she’s well on track now.”

James McDonald was all smiles as he returns to scale aboard Verry Elleegant. Picture: Getty Images

Verry Elleegant, a rising seven-year-old mare, could be having her final Australian race campaign with talk of taking her to France for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe later this year.

But Waller’s more immediate focus is the Sydney autumn carnival with Verry Elleegant set to race next in the Group 1 $700,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 19 before the Group 1 $4 million Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) back at Royal Randwick on April 9.

“That has always been the plan,’’ Waller said.

“Obviously the All-Star Mile was there and that might have been back on the cards had they not run today and that’s how things can change.

“But it was always the plan to go to the Ranvet, and then the Queen Elizabeth so three weeks-three weeks, it just works out perfectly.”

[Gammalite]

Wow , not only is VE a great ambassador for the NZ breeding industry, she has won in NZ for her early fans and owners too , and that breath-taking Melbourne Cup win recently was the stuff of Champions.!!!! Winx would of struggled to do that.

So if she does the France 'Arc' trip , and becomes the best in the world, Winx will live in her shadow lol.......

 

[Chief Stipe]

Waller has done a great job with her as well.  Many trainers would have tried to train her quirks out of her or adjust her style too quickly.  He has let her have her own style and over time it has subtly adjusted.  Hard to say if that has been age or training!

It was good to see she now seems to have a crowd following.  Listening to the commentators they said the crowd was roaring and applauding and many come out of the stands.  I noticed like a lot of good horses she knows she is a winner and was throwing her head high in the air when JMac was patting her.

Sorry if I wax lyrical about VE but I've followed her every race since that watching her maiden win at Ruakaka.

 

[Bid]

and by Zed... she would win a Grand National if they targeted it. Freak