She’s back for a second shot at the ‘Loving Trophy’ as the best of four Chris Waller-trained Melbourne Cup 2021 horses and as the reigning Racehorse of the Year, there’s little doubt Verry Elleegant deserves her spot in the field.

The mighty mare is a nine-time Group 1 champion and her record at the highest level is outstanding.

A Caulfield Cup victory last year is one of the standouts on her glittering CV but can she add a Melbourne Cup to the resume?

A brave seventh to Twilight Payment in last year’s race, the now six-year-old daughter of Zed has some work to do from a wide alley this Tuesday.

Still, class and the will to win will take a horse a long way and Verry Elleegant has those in spades.

So, can she give Waller a maiden win in the Group 1 $8 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) and go down as one of history’s most incredible racehorses?

2021 Melbourne Cup Horse Form: #4 Verry Elleegant

Barrier: 19

Weight: 57kg

Jockey: James McDonald

Trainer: Chris Waller

Owner/s: Jomara Bloodstock Ltd, Ellee, Balmerino Racing Partnership, Mr M Wanzare, Mr T K Barry, Mr B F Sokolski, Mr A Kheir, Mr K M Stocker, Honeycomb Stud, Mr J A O’neill, Mr V Kheir

Age: 6yo

Gender: Mare

Breeding: by ZED (NZ) from OPULENCE (NZ)

Career: 33:14-7-3

Win: 42.42%

Place: 73.73%

Last 10: x3112x2143

Prize Money: $9,690,744

Track: 7:1-1-1

Distance: 1:0-0-0

Current 2021 Melbourne Cup Odds*: $12

Why Verry Elleegant Will Be the Next Mare to Win the Melbourne Cup in 2021

• She’s all class and the reigning Australian Racehorse of the Year
• Her record at the highest level is brilliant including nine Group 1 victories
• She’s won over $9 million in career prize money
• Waller to have her back-up off a Cox Plate third at 2040m to win the Melbourne Cup over 3200m
• Verry Elleegant is the early Melbourne Cup market mover
• Jockey James McDonald is absolutely airborne and thrilled to pick up the eleventh-hour ride after his original booking Away He Goes was withdrawn
• There’s a chance the mid-week predicted rain in Melbourne could come early and her chances would greatly improve if it does

Why Verry Elleegant Won’t Give Waller a 2021 Melbourne Cup Win

• Chris Waller is yet to prepare a Melbourne Cup winner with the bulk of his star runners best over the 1600m – 2000m distance
• She has a horror barrier draw out in gate 19
• With 57kg she carries the equal second highest weight in the race and is the heaviest-weighted mare
• While brave, her seventh in last year’s race with less weight suggests she could finish around that mark again this year
• The two-miles is a genuine query
• It would be a remarkable training performance from
• Could be too old as a six-year-old; four-year-olds (46 wins) and five-year-olds (44 wins) have dominated the race over the past 160 years
• Only 11 individual mares have won the Melbourne Cup; 16 wins in total for the females with three of those being by Makybe Diva (2003-05)
• No doubt she is brilliant but she may be just short of her best this season
• Fourth to Incentivise in the Turnbull Stakes over 2000m this campaign; her worst finish in a Group 1 since her Melbourne Cup 7^th in 2020

*Note: 2021 Melbourne Cup odds are correct at time of publish, provided by Ladbrokes.com.au and subject to change without notice.