Verry Elleegant Making Progress in France

Media Release - Monday June 27

Australasia’s darling of the turf Verry Elleegant is edging closer to making her European debut.

Her new trainer Francis-Henri Graffard is eyeing the Gr.1 Prix Rothschild (1600m) at Deauville at the start of next month to kick-off her European career.

Part-owner Brae Sokolski said that Graffard had confirmed Verry Elleegant was progressing well in her preparation following her first gallop on the grass at Chantilly over the weekend.

“She’s going great and she seems to be ahead of her program after talking to Francis yesterday in terms of where her fitness is, which is great because that gives us flexibility to potentially resume sooner than we’d thought,” Sokolski told Racing.com.

Advertisement

“It is now a distinct possibility she could run in the first week of August.”

Verry Elleegant, a daughter of Grangewilliam Stud stallion Zed, was initially trained in New Zealand by Nick Bishara before she was partly sold to Australia where she won 11 races at elite level, including last year’s Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m). NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Aquis Welcome First foals for Young Gun Officiating
A fast Group winning sprinter by Breeders Cup Classic winner Blame, Officiating (USA) was carefully selected by Aquis Stallions following a global headhunting mission to secure an outcross stallion for Queensland and his first foals are arriving this spring.
Trapeze Artist Mare Earns Shot at G1 Metrop
The in form Ciaron Maher stable produced the quinella in the$250,000 Group III ATC Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday with race favourite Juja Kibo (GB) beaten by progressive mare Piggyback.
30 Runners in Goffs Million!
The stage is set for Europe’s richest two-year-old race, the Goffs Million (7f), which has attracted a maximum field of 30 runners at the Curragh this Saturday and the €1 million contest, with prize money down to 10th, is only open to graduates of last year’s Goffs Orby Sale.
Sires With Winners - Friday September 26
Here is the full list of 60 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Wootton Bassett Colt Wins G2 Stutt Stakes
The racing and breeding world was shocked earlier this week by the passing of champion sire Wootton Bassett (GB), whose talented son West of Swindon picked the right race in which to break his maiden when scoring a bold front running victory in the $300,000 Group II MVRC Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Sires With Winners - Thursday September 25
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Deserving Stakes Success For Splash Back (Fr)
Unlucky not to already has a stakes victory on her resume, the Grahame Begg trained French-bred Le Havre mare Splash Back (Fr) broke through on Friday night at Moonee Valley, winning the $300,000 Group 2 MVRC Stock Stakes (1500m).
€1.9million Sale-Topping Colt Wins G3 Somerville Stakes
The Group III Somerville Stakes (7f) was run at Newmarket overnight with the Godolphin blue carried by exciting Night of Thunder colt Distant Storm, who they purchased for a sale-topping €1.9million at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale earlier this year.
Manhattan Rain Gold Rush in WA
Geisel Park won’t be the only WA breeder on board when the first locally-conceived 2yo crop of its Group 1 sire Manhattan Rain get mobile this season.
Expensive I Am Invincible Mare Wins G1 Manikato
The highest priced filly at the 2022 Magic Millions Yearling Sale when selling for $1.55million, I Am Invincible filly Charm Stone has been a star from day one and is now a two time Group I winner after landing her second victory at the top level with a dominant win in the $2million MVRC Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.