Can Verry Elleegant Win the 2021 Melbourne Cup for Waller?

October 31, 2021

Can Verry Elleegant Win the 2021 Melbourne Cup for Waller?

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.

Verry Elleegant Horse Form (Photo: Steve Hart) | Races.com.au

Verry Elleegant has a huge task ahead as a mare with 57kg over the two miles in the 2021 Melbourne Cup field. Photo: Steve Hart.

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?

Verry Elleegant is out to be just the 12th individual mare to win the Melbourne Cup in 161 years

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is absolutely airborne and thrilled to pick up the eleventh-hour ride after his original booking Away He Goes was withdrawn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 7th in 2020

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

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