Proud Kiwi Breeders of Verry Elleegant

Media Release - Tuesday November 2

Don Goodwin can now add Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) breeder and owner to his resume after Verry Elleegant was a resounding winner of the staying feature at Flemington on Tuesday.

Verry Elleegant wins the Melbourne Cup - image Grant Courtney

The winner of nine prior Group One races, Goodwin was confident of a bold showing from his classy mare and he was jubilant she was able to pull the historic win off.

“I am immensely proud,” Goodwin said from his Auckland home.

“I was pretty confident but I was even more confident at the end of the big straight at the start of the race. It was a brilliant ride, he (jockey James McDonald) just got her in the right position.

“When she was racing six or seven back in the clear down the back straight, I thought yep, we’ll be right in this, she will be hard to bowl here, and so she proved.

“If want to show young apprentice jockeys how to ride a staying race show them that.”

The Chris Waller-trained mare had put in a fine performance to finish third in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley just over a week ago, and Goodwin said she thrives on a short back-up.

“The last time she had a short break with seven days up, she came out with a similar win in the Tancred (Gr.1, 2400m). She thrives on a short break between races,” he said.

“I thought the Oaks win at Randwick was pretty good, but the Melbourne Cup, oh Christ.”

Out of broodmare gem Opulence, Verry Elleegant is by Grangewilliam Stud stallion Zed, a sire Goodwin has been a great supporter of over the years.

Advertisement

“He is a well-bred sire, but he is not a physically imposing sire,” Goodwin said.

“She is the best of them and the mare (Opulence) is in foal to Zed again. He is not a one-horse wonder.

“Opulence goes back through Cotehele House to Eight Carat who is one of the best broodmares in New Zealand.

“It is a very good family.”

Winning a Melbourne Cup had been a dream of Goodwin’s for many years, and he said to finally win one has been one of the biggest highlights of his life.

“For Kiwis and Aussies, it is the race that stops two nations and we won it,” he said.

“I will live on this for years, as long as I stay alive.

“It is the best Tuesday I have had in my life, you don’t have too many good Tuesdays.” – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Lexus Melbourne Cup Gr1 3200m

Flemington Track: Good(4) Time: 3:17.43
1
Verry Elleegant
- 6m Zed (NZ) x Opulence (NZ) (Danroad (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 57
2
4.0
Incentivise
- 5g Shamus Award (AUS) x Miss Argyle (AUS) (Iglesia (AUS))
Tnr: P G Moody Rdr: B Prebble 57
3
4.4
Spanish Mission
- 6h Noble Mission (GB) x Limonar (IRE) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: Andrew Balding Rdr: Craig Williams 57
4
4.6
Floating Artist
- 6g Nathaniel (IRE) x Miss Kenton (IRE) (Pivotal (GB))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Teodore Nugent 50
5
10.6
The Chosen One
- 6h Savabeel (AUS) x The Glitzy One (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: M Baker & A Forsman Rdr: Damian Lane 54
6
12.6
Grand Promenade
- 6g Champs Elysees (GB) x Zacchera (GB) (Zamindar (USA))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: K Mc Evoy 52
7
13.3
Delphi
- 5h Galileo (IRE) x Bye Bye Birdie (IRE) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: D Oliver 53.5
8
13.4
Selino
- 6g Champs Elysees (GB) x Air Kiss (GB) (Red Ransom (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Ron Stewart 53.5
9
16.7
Tralee Rose
- 5m Tavistock (NZ) x Star Of Tralee (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: Symon Wilde Rdr: Dean Holland 51
10
17.2
She's Ideel
- 6m Dundeel (NZ) x Ana's Mail (AUS) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: C Newitt 52
11
19.4
Twilight Payment
- 9g Teofilo (IRE) x Dream On Buddy (IRE) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: Joseph O'Brien Rdr: Jye McNeil 58
12
21.4
Miami Bound
- 5m Reliable Man (GB) x Arapaho Miss (AUS) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: Patrick Moloney 52
13
21.8
Great House
- 5g Galileo (IRE) x Anja (IRE) (Indian Ridge (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: M J Dee 50
14
21.9
Sir Lucan
- 4h Camelot (GB) x Sparrow (IRE) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: G Boss 51
15
23.2
Explosive Jack
- 4h Jakkalberry (IRE) x Extra Explosive (NZ) (Ekraar (USA))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: John Allen 54
16
24.2
Master Of Wine
- 7g Maxios (GB) x Magma (GER) (Dubai Destination (USA))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Fred W Kersley 52.5
17
24.6
Pondus
- 6g Sea The Moon (GER) x Diablerette (GB) (Green Desert (USA))
Tnr: Robert Hickmott Rdr: Rachel King 52.5
18
25.3
Carif
- 6g So You Think (NZ) x Norzita (NZ) (Thorn Park (AUS))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: B Mc Dougall 52.5
19
25.6
Knights Order
- 7g So You Think (NZ) x Lamanka Lass (USA) (Woodman (USA))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: D W Stackhouse 53
20
28.9
Persan
- 5g Pierro (AUS) x Ofcourseican (AUS) (Mossman (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: L Currie 53
21
33.1
Port Guillaume
- 5g Le Havre (IRE) x Keira (FR) (Turtle Bowl (IRE))
Tnr: Ben & J D Hayes Rdr: H Coffey 52
22
41.1
Johnny Get Angry
- 4g Tavistock (NZ) x Luminova (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: Denis Pagan Rdr: Lachlan King 53
23
53.1
Ocean Billy
- 6g Ocean Park (NZ) x Cool Storm (NZ) (One Cool Cat (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Damien Thornton 53.5
More Reading...
Glorious Goodwood Day 3 – Flag Start Can’t Stop Wootton Bassett
The Group I Nassau Stakes (1m2f) for fillies and mares was the highlight on the third day of Glorious Goodwood and very nearly didn’t happen at all given the ‘biblical’ rain and a flag start for the five runners that braved the treacherous conditions.
Shooting to Win Relocating to Yarradale Stud
Yarradale Stud has purchased Group 1 racehorse and sire Shooting To Win to cover his first book at its Gidgegannup property this season.
Sliding Doors Moment Delivers Feel Good Winner at Rosehill
Two fillies were born at Yulong in 2021 sired by Alabama Express from imported North American daughters of Street Cry, one of them is triple Group I winner Treasurethe Moment and the other is the feel good winner of the day at Rosehill on Saturday.
Kosciuszko calling Rosehill winner Elson Boy
Dubbo-trained Elson Boy was back in the winner’s circle after a 412-day absence when leading throughout to land the Jockeys Celebration Day Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill in the hands of apprentice William Stanley.
Kiwi Bred Keeps Winners Coming for Payne Stable
The Patrick and Michelle Payne-trained Bold Soul has been a consistent performer right through the winter months and notched another win at Flemington when prevailing in the VRC Membership Renewals Open (2530m) on Saturday.
Winning Hat-Trick for Progressive Pierro
Richard and Will Freedman probably have more talented horses in the stable than Pierro gelding Cold Brew, but few have the consistency of this four year-old who landed a winning hat-trick at Rosehill on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Friday August 1
Here is the full list of 35 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
King of Roseau Wins G3 Aurie’s Star
Placed in the Listed VRC Poseidon Stakes at Flemington last spring as a three year-old behind Growing Empire, Capitalist gelding King of Roseau returned to the same venue on Saturday to capture the Group III VRC Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m).
Unique Filly a History Maker for Godolphin and Waller
The re-distribution of the Godolphin owned Australian racehorses has been a hot topic in recent weeks as they departed the care of James Cummings to join a wide spread of different trainers and one of those was Chris Waller, whose first runner for the blue army was a winner at Rosehill on Saturday.
Impressive New Winner at Goodwood for St Mark’s Basilica
Coolmore shuttler St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) had a number of high profile yearlings sold at the European sales last year and one of them was a filly from Angelic Light that made 600,000 guineas at Tattersalls October Book 2.