Glamour mare Verry Elleegant has done it again.
The six-year-old has captured her eleventh Group 1 win with back-to-back victories in the Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick, showing her trademark fight to lift when challenged by runner-up She’s Ideel and score by a head.
In doing so she became the first horse since Rain Lover in 1968-69 to win the Melbourne Cup and Chipping Norton Stakes in the same season.
Trainer Chris Waller said he was blessed to work with a horse of Verry Elleegant’s calibre and he was in awe of her incredible will to win.
“She’s a real piece of work, fights like a tiger,” Waller said.
“I thought the second horse might have had us at the 100-metre mark but that’s when the Verry Elleegant qualities pop in and she lifts to another level and that’s just her. She is in for a great prep.
“There are no other words for it, but she is freakish.”
Verry Elleegant’s previous elite wins were all in different races and Saturday was the first time she had won the same Group 1 twice.
For Waller, it was an incredible tenth Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) success, having first won the race with Danleigh in 2011, while Winx delivered him four between 2016-19.
Verry Elleegant will now continue on her planned path through the autumn and have her next start in the Ranvet Stakes before a third attempt at an elusive Queen Elizabeth Stakes win.
However, when Saturday’s meeting was in some doubt as heavy rain continued to pummel an already heavy Randwick track, Waller admitted to a few nerves as he weighed up contingency plans.
“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,” he said.
“(But it) was always the plan the Ranvet, and then the Queen Elizabeth so three weeks-three weeks. It just works out perfectly.”
Verry Elleegant started a $2.50 favourite and staved off the bid of She’s Ideel ($71) with Angel Of Truth ($61) holding third, another 1-1/4 lengths away.
Winning rider James Mcdonald was awestruck by the mare’s ability to come back every preparation and raise the bar a little higher.
“For her to pull out all stops at these kinds of trips is incredible,” McDonald said.
“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.”
Think It Over finished a brave fourth on ground that wasn’t to his liking and jockey Nash Rawiller said he tried hard.
“He just couldn’t quite get there but I thought he ran as good as he ever has and has pulled up terrific,” Rawiller said.
