Extra 200m Just What Elleegant Requires

While an additional 200m mightn’t seem like that much, the step up from 1400m to 1600m in Saturday’s Gr1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick for Verry Elleegant (Zed-Opulence, by Danroad) is significant. Not only will the star mare have benefitted from her seasonal pipe-opener but the prospect of a stronger pace up front, as well as the chance to stretch her legs over the extra furlong on a soft track have seen bookmakers tread warily. Engaged to ride the $2.60 favourite with Unibet, leading Sydney jockey James McDonald is looking forward to continuing his association with the multiple Group 1 winner. He missed her Victorian spring Group 1 double in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) and Caulfield Cup (2400m) but was reunited with the New Zealand-bred mare in the Gr2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick 10 days ago where she finished third to Colette (Hallowed Crown) and Kolding (Ocean Park) – currently second and third favourite. “She was fantastic,” McDonald told Sky Sports Radio. “She got in an awkward spot and it wasn’t her sort of race in terms of set-up – it was slow off the front and they sprinted home. She made very good ground late and I was impressed with the way she came back. She will be very hard to beat.” Ominously, McDonald warned, “She will be [even] better once she gets to a mile and a quarter, a mile and a half…”

Verry Elleegant is stepping up to the mile (pic: Steve Hart)