Last week Racing NSW took nominations for the upcoming ‘The Championships’ feature races including those for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2022 where Verry Elleegant and Zaaki are among the standout early entries.

Zaaki is all-in favourite at nomination stage for the 2022 Queen Elizabeth Stakes this April. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Seventy-five autumn hopefuls were nominated for this year’s Group 1 $4 million Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).

The classic has been dominated by the Irish-trained raider Addeybb (2020-21) the past two seasons.

Without the same international presence this Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival the latest all-in Queen Elizabeth Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au are led by the local stars.

Current favourite sitting top of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes betting markets at $6 is the Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki.

The UK import was favourite to win the Cox Plate last October before an elevated temperature saw him sensationally scratched on race morning.

He atoned at Flemington in November however posting his third Group 1 victory in the Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) and is looking to make a similar impact in Sydney this coming preparation.

Equal $7 second-elects following the Queen Elizabeth Stakes nominations are Chris Waller’s Melbourne Cup winning mare Verry Elleegant and star Godolphin-raced three-year-old Anamoe.

Waller chases his sixth victory in the event following past success with: My Kingdom Of Fife (2011), Reliable Man (2013) and the three-peat of Winx (2017-19).

He has a total of seven Queen Elizabeth entries this year headlined by 10-time Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant best known for her Melbourne Cup victory over two-miles last November at HQ.

The stunning Zed six-year-old was runner-up to Addeybb in the 2020 Queen Elizabeth Stakes quinella in the wet on the back of a Tancred Stakes victory and finished second again to the same horse last year having won the Ranvet Stakes in the lead-up.

Verry Elleegant kicked off her autumn with a credible seventh behind impressive winner Think It Over in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) last weekend doing her best work the closing stages.

Waller’s other standout Queen Elizabeth Stakes nominees in 2022 include: British import Chalk Stream yet to race down under, ATC Oaks winner Hungry Heart and stable stalwart Kolding.

Anamoe meanwhile is dominant in all the pre-field markets for which he is nominated for including the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The classy Street Boss colt is looking to make history as the first three-year-old Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner since Intergaze (1997).

While age is against him, the bookies are taking no chances on last year’s Caulfield Guineas champion and Cox Plate runner-up.

After getting his autumn off to the ideal start, the Kerry Parker-trained Think It Over can no longer fly under the radar and is a single-figure fancy at $9 for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The six-year-old son of So You Think is outstanding over the 2000m and won a string of good races in Sydney over the distance last campaign completing the Group 2 Hill Stakes – Group 3 Craven Plate – Rosehill Gold Cup treble.

He was equally as impressive fresh in the Apollo Stakes with a runaway three-length win at the 1400m and improvement to come.

Other notable Queen Elizabeth Stakes nominations in 2022 include Spring Champion Stakes winner Profondo, Godolphin’s Doncaster Mile champ last autumn Cascadian and their class mare Colette who ran a first-up second in the Apollo.

The 2022 Queen Elizabeth Stakes first acceptances close on Tuesday the 8^th of March and the latest all-in markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au are available here.

2022 Queen Elizbeth Stakes Nominations

Table Credit: Racing Australia.