They don’t come much tougher than Verry Elleegant who took her Group 1 tally to five with a typically gritty performance in Saturday’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.
In an all Chris Waller finish, Mark Zahra guided the 5yo daughter of Zed to a short-head win over Toffee Tongue (Tavistock) with Finche (GB) (Frankel) the same distance back in third.
Showing she is much more than a wet-tracker, Verry Elleegant was promoted to the top line of betting for the Caulfield Cup and shortened for the Melbourne Cup.
"Mark (Zahra) certainly gave her every chance today.” Waller's Melbourne foreman Jo Taylor told Racing.com.
"She wasn't disgraced last start (George Main Stakes). She probably would have had a lot of knockers, but she's shown that outside of horses, given some room and just allowed to find her feet before she shows her best towards the line."
Verry Elleegant advances her record to 10 wins, 5 seconds and 1 from 23 starts with earnings of $3,746,044.
Bred by her part-owner Don Goodwin, Verry Elleegant advances her record to 9 wins, 5 seconds and 1 third from 21 starts with earnings of $3,421,694.
She 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 and comes 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 she has a yearling full-brother to Verry Elleegant who was consigned to the 2020 NZB Karaka Book 1 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.
