Short-priced favourite Verry Elleegant came down the Rosehill straight like a drunken sailor in Saturday's Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes however she proved a class above under James McDonald to earn her maiden win at the elite level.
Coming from well back in the field the 3yo daughter of Zed came with a barnstorming finish to defeat the royally-related Frankel mare Frankely Awesome by one and three-quarter lengths with Lonhro's Group 1 Victoria Oaks winning daughter Aristia a further two and a quarter lengths back in third. (images Steve Hart)
Winner of the Group III Ethereal Stakes over 2000m at Caulfield last spring when trained by Darren Weir, Verry Elleegant disappointed in the Victoria Oaks but she will be at short odds in the Sydney equivalent at Randwick in a fortnight.
"She's a smart filly. She just needed a little bit of working out," winning trainer Chris Waller said.
"Having the confidence to take gear off and put extra gear on is easy when you're training winners but we needed to make sure we could tell the punters when you've got a favourite going into a Group 1 race 'don't worry, we've put the ear muffs on just to help her relax and taken the nose roll off because it wasn't doing anything'. It's worked out pretty well but obviously the horse has got talent."
Waller said he won't be tempted to run Verry Elleegant in the derby next week.
"I don't think she likes the seven-day back-up, hence the reason why she didn't run in the Australian Guineas so I wouldn't tempt backing her up in a week," he said.
"I was thinking after today if she didn't win maybe look at Queensland Oaks, give her a bit more time. I don't think we've got that luxury. We can go to the Oaks with a bit of confidence."
James McDonald had the sit again after winning on the NZ-bred filly in the Phar Lap Stakes a fortnight back.
"She was excellent today," McDonald said.
"It was a masterstroke to put the ear muffs on. She relaxed hence why she had that great turn of foot and define the bias. She's done really well."
"She's been a massive work in progress. Today was the finished article. Everyone was saying she doesn't have the right attributes to reach the top. She definitely has. She just has to put it together."
Verry Elleegant advances her record to 5 wins, 2 seconds and 1 third from 10 starts with earnings of $578619.
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.
Opulence has a 2yo colt by Haradasun named Grand Prospect. After missing to Zed in 2016 she had a colt by the son of Zabeel last season before being bred back to him last spring.
What a win from Verry Elleegant in the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes @rosehillgardens today - Next stop 'The Oaks' @cwallerracing. pic.twitter.com/slWsaIIOqP
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 30, 2019
