Punters are in for one of the best editions of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2022 in recent history this weekend on Day 2 of The Championships with Chris Waller’s super mare Verry Elleegant chasing a 12th Group 1 victory against a top-class field of rivals.
Verry Elleegant is favourite in a star-studded 2022 Queen Elizabeth Stakes field this weekend in Sydney. Photo: Steve Hart.
The feature race on an outstanding Randwick race card on Saturday, this season’s Group 1 $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) has drawn a small but exciting line-up of nine autumn champions.
Heading the Queen Elizabeth Stakes betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au is the spring’s Melbourne Cup heroine, Verry Elleegant, who is at $3.70 to win this event at her third attempt.
The now six-year-old daughter of Zed and $14.7 million earner ran second to the international raider Addeybb in both 2020 and 2021.
Without any visitors from overseas there on Saturday, Verry Elleegant is tipped to return to winning form and atone for her lead-up second as the beaten odds-on favourite in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m).
James McDonald continues associations on the champion who jumps from barrier seven looking to take her elite level wins to a dozen.
Waller trails only the late Tommy Smith (11) for Queen Elizabeth Stakes wins and success this year will see him secure a sixth victory, his first since the Winx three-peat from 2017-19.
The dangers occupying the second line of betting at an equal $4.20 are Anamoe and Zaaki, both impressive last start Group 1 winners.
Godolphin three-year-old Anamoe was fire winning the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) by a commanding seven lengths and presents in great order here fit fifth-up in his grand final.
With McDonald on Verry Elleegant, the James Cummings-trained Street Boss colt has Tommy Berry coming aboard in the $4 million feature with the hoop recently winning on the young champ in the Hobartville on February 19.
Just five three-year-olds have won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes throughout history: Tulloch (1958), Prince Grant (1966), Garcon (1967), Gay Icarus (1971), and most recently Intergaze (1997).
Zaaki for Annabel Neasham comes off a Melbourne lead-up into this year’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes field and is out to further frank the form out of the $5 million The All-Star Mile (1600m).
That Flemington showdown from March 19 produced last Saturday’s Doncaster Mile trifecta with Mr Brightside, I’m Thunderstruck and Icebath having run 4th, 2nd and 9th respectively behind Zaaki.
Now it is the All-Star Mile winner’s turn as the European expat has his first official Sydney start since winning the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) fresh last September.
The other hot horse in the race looks to be the Edward Cummings-trained Duais ($4.50) in barrier nine for Josh Parr.
The in-form Shamus Award mare has been faultless her last two runs winning the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at headquarters by two lengths on Super Saturday before her demolition job in the rescheduled Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m).
This year’s Tancred ran at Newcastle on March 28 and Duais won by over three lengths.
The four-year-old returns to Sydney this weekend where she’ll be out to improve on her Chipping Norton sixth as a 90/1 shot when only 1.63 lengths beaten by Verry Elleegant in late February.
The Tancred – Queen Elizabeth double has been completed 10 times throughout history and not since Eremein (2006).
Rounding out the single-figure fancies at Queen Elizabeth Stakes odds of $8 is then Verry Elleegant’s last-start conqueror, Montefilia, at $8.
The David Payne-trained Kermadec mare was huge on a Heavy (9) at Rosehill putting two lengths on the beaten favourite in the Ranvet and is out to be the seventh runner to complete the double and first since Addeybb (2020).
The potential value runners in the mix include All-Star and Doncaster Mile runner-up I’m Thunderstruck ($15) along with Australian Cup second place-getter Think It Over ($31) coming off a fourth in Tancred.
Click here for the latest 2022 Queen Elizabeth Stakes betting markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
2022 Queen Elizabeth Stakes Field & Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13111×1424 | THINK IT OVER | Kerry Parker | Nash Rawiller | 4 | 59kg | 118 | ||
| 2 | 11x1131x21 | ZAAKI (GB) | Annabel Neasham | Ms Jamie Kah | 3 | 59kg | 118 | ||
| 3 | 11311×5522 | I’M THUNDERSTRUCK (NZ) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Mark Zahra | 6 | 59kg | 113 | ||
| 4 | 11x088x921 | MOUNT POPA (IRE) | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | William Pike | 8 | 59kg | 107 | ||
| 5 | x08360x665 | DALASAN | Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas | Chad Schofield | 1 | 59kg | 105 | ||
| 6 | x21431x712 | VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ) | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 7 | 57kg | 122 | ||
| 7 | x3610x9611 | DUAIS | Edward Cummings | Joshua Parr | 9 | 57kg | 116 | ||
| 8 | 45x3214x71 | MONTEFILIA | David Payne | Hugh Bowman | 2 | 57kg | 115 | ||
| 9 | x1212x3121 | ANAMOE | James Cummings | Tommy Berry | 5 | 55.5kg | 116 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
