Verry Elleegant Claims the Caulfield Cup in a Thriller

Mark Smith - Saturday October 17

A blue-collar mare by a sire that won nothing more than a maiden at Hawkes Bay, repelling the challenge of an Epsom Derby-winning toff by the great Galileo, Saturdays $5 million Group 1 Stella Artois Caulfield Cup (2400m) was a race to savour.

Verry Elleegant repels the challenge of Anthony Van Dyck (Natasha Morello/Racing Photos)

There is not much more you can say about Verry Elleegant other than she is a winner.

The final leg of a 4-timer for Mark Zahra, Verry Elleegant came from midfield to make her challenge down the centre of the track before Hugh Bowman came with what looked a well-timed challenge on the topweight Anthony Van Dyck (IRE).

The pair collared a stubborn The Chosen One (Savabeel) at the 200 metres.

With a 3.5kg pull in the weights, Verry Elleegant toughed out a short-meck win over Anthony Van Dyck (IRE) with The Chosen One three-quarters of a length back in third ahead of the hard-charging Prince Of Arran (GB).

It was the sixth win at the highest level for the five-year-old daughter of Zed, advancing her record to eleven wins, five seconds and one third from 24 starts with earnings of $6,896,044.

It was a first win in the race for Chris Waller as well as Zahra.

"It’s a great feeling, gee she is tough. To win a Cup is amazing,” Zahra said.

Verry Elleegant rounds out a great day for Mark Zahra  (Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)

Waller’s Melbourne foreperson Jo Taylor said it was a dream result for the team.

“She’s just kept maturing, and you would imagine she would continue to do that. Hopefully this year we’ll head onto a Melbourne Cup,” Taylor said.

“The further she goes, she seems to be stronger. She is just a wonderful endurance athlete.”

Speaking from Sydney Waller added:

“You think of all the negatives when you've got good horses around you.

“I thought that weight, 55 kilos, might not sound a lot to those at home, but I can assure you, Caulfield Cup history would suggest mares with 55 kilos don't win very often.

"That just tells you how good she is."

Bred by her part-owner Don Goodwin, Verry Elleegant is the best of three winners out of the Danroad mare Opulence whose granddam Chalet Girl (Imposing) is a half-sister to Danewin and Commands, from the same Eight Carat family of Verry Elleegant's sire Zed.

Goodwin had purchased Opulence for just $14,000 at the 2011 NZB National Broodmare Sale

After missing to Zed in 2016, Opulence has a two-year-old full-brother to Verry Elleegant. He was consigned to the 2020 NZB Karaka Yearling sale where John Chalmer’s Bloodstock, on behalf of leviathan WA owner Bob Peters, had the final say at $140,000.

Opulence has a yearling colt, again by the son of Zabeel, but she was not covered last season.

Advertisment

Race Result - Caulfield Cup Gr1 2400m

Caulfield Track: Soft(6) Time: 2:31.97
1
Verry Elleegant
- 5m Zed (NZ) x Opulence (NZ) (Danroad (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: M Zahra 55
2
0.2
Anthony Van Dyck
- 5h Galileo (IRE) x Believe'n'succeed (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: A O'Brien Rdr: J Bowman 58.5
3
1.0
The Chosen One
- 5h Savabeel (AUS) x The Glitzy One (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: M Baker & A Forsman Rdr: D W Stackhouse 53.5
4
1.9
Prince Of Arran
- 8g Shirocco (GER) x Storming Sioux (GB) (Storming Home (GB))
Tnr: Charlie Fellowes Rdr: Jamie Kah 54.5
5
2.4
Finche
- 7g Frankel (GB) x Binche (USA) (Woodman (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Damian Lane 54.5
6
2.6
Avilius
- 7g Pivotal (GB) x Alessandria (GB) (Sunday Silence (USA))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: John Allen 57
7
3.4
Buckhurst
- 5h Australia (GB) x Artful (IRE) (Green Desert (USA))
Tnr: Joseph O'Brien Rdr: B Melham 55
8
3.9
Mustajeer
- 8g Medicean (GB) x Qelaan (USA) (Dynaformer (USA))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: W Egan 55
9
4.2
Chapada
- 5g Bullet Train (GB) x Diamantina Dior (AUS) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: Jye McNeil 50.5
10
4.6
Master Of Wine
- 6g Maxios (GB) x Magma (GER) (Dubai Destination (USA))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Craig Williams 53.5
11
5.0
Dalasan
- 4h Dalakhani (IRE) x Khandallah (AUS) (Kitten's Joy (USA))
Tnr: L Macdonald & A Gluyas Rdr: W Pike 52.5
12
5.2
Warning
- 4g Declaration Of War (USA) x Livia (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: L Currie 53
13
5.9
True Self
- 8m Oscar (IRE) x Good Thought (IRE) (Mukaddamah (USA))
Tnr: W P Mullins Rdr: Declan Bates 52
14
6.4
Toffee Tongue
- 4m Tavistock (NZ) x Bagalollies (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: M J Dee 51
15
8.7
Vow And Declare
- 5g Declaration Of War (USA) x Geblitzt (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: D Oliver 57
16
15.7
Raheen House
- 7g Sea The Stars (IRE) x Jumooh (GB) (Monsun (GER))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: D Moor 53.5
17
17.2
Mirage Dancer
- 7h Frankel (GB) x Heat Haze (GB) (Green Desert (USA))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: C Newitt 55
18
27.2
Dashing Willoughby
- 5g Nathaniel (IRE) x Miss Dashwood (GB) (Dylan Thomas (IRE))
Tnr: Andrew Balding Rdr: M J Walker 54.5
More Reading...
Take a Bow New Zealand - the $14million Mare Verry Elleegant Joins the All-Time Greats
The Chris Waller-trained mare Verry Ellegant took her place among the all-time greats when James McDonald guided the 5yo daughter of Zed to a 4-length triumph over the favourite Incentivise in the $8million Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday.
Arkansaw Kid Brother Sells for $520,000
A well-related son of Harry Angel provided a late highlight in the final hour of the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on Thursday when he was knocked down to a $520,000 bid from bloodstock agent Morgan Carter.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
What a Champ! Eleven Wins at the Highest Level for Verry Elleegant
Verry Elleegant has been blessed with that indeterminable something has served her well with an amazing ability to find a bit extra when it matters most. It has carried her to eleven Group 1 wins, the latest coming with a typically brave performance when defending her title in the $600,000 Tab Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick (1600m) on Saturday.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Million-dollar Hour for Leung at NZB Ready To Run
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung had a big hour at Karaka early on Thursday afternoon, spending more than $1 million to secure two well-credentialled colts at the NZB Ready to Run Sale.
Ninth Group 1 for Verry Elleegant
Verry Elleegant needed to call on all her champion qualities to claim her ninth Group 1 as Rachel King set up a thriller on the free-running Riodini in Saturday’s $1million Fujitsu General George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
Kiwi Contingent Mourn Verry Elleegant
The Australasian racing industry are in mourning following the news of the passing of 11-time Group One winner Verry Elleegant when foaling in Ireland.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.