The stage is set for an emotional first running of the recently renamed Verry Elleegant Stakes 2024 with Chris Waller’s class mare Fangirl tipped to take out the race in honour of her former stablemate.
Fangirl is odds-on to score her fourth Group 1 win in the 2024 Verry Elleegant Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.
Formerly the Chipping Norton Stakes, Saturday’s Group 1 $1 million Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) was renamed earlier in the year to honour Waller’s Melbourne Cup hero Verry Elleegant who won the Chipping Norton in 2021 and 2022.
Sadly, the mighty mare passed away in foal for the first time only a couple of weeks ago, giving an added layer of remembrance Saturday’s feature at Royal Randwick.
The weight-for-age mile showdown is down to nine runners with Waller opting to withdraw another of his runners, Atishu, who instead heads to Melbourne for Flemington’s Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) on Australian Guineas Day this weekend.
Sitting top of the Verry Elleegant Stakes odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au is three-time Group 1 winning Sebring mare Fangirl at a short quote of $1.50.
The now five-year-old is out to go one better than second to the since retired Anamoe in the event last Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and the money trail suggests she will do just that.
Super hoop James McDonald has the mount from the outside alley on Fangirl who is second-up off an impressive resuming run when dominating the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) last month by over two lengths.
She is even fitter now and has a good 1600m record at Randwick including winning the Group 1 $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) here in the spring with ease over Mr Brightside.
The danger occupying the second line of Verry Elleegant Stakes betting at $8 is the resuming Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Group 1 The Metropolitan winner Just Fine.
Regan Bayliss has the ride from a good gate two draw aboard the Sea The Stars import who is undefeated at the Randwick track boasting a flawless three-from-three record here ahead of his first-up run.
A versatile stayer, he has a top mile record and is out to atone for his last place in the Group 1 Caulfield stakes (2000m) when dropped back in distance and rising 9kg in weight off his The Metrop success in the spring.
He has been performing well in his lead-up trials and definitely presents as a potential upset shot at a price.
Rounding out the single-figure fancies in the Verry Elleegant Stakes odds this season is the talented Kerry Parker-trained Think It Over ($9.50) in gate three with Nash Rawiller to ride.
Veteran So You Think eight-year-old Think It Over has his 41st career start here with the $7.86 million earner looking fit second-up off a good resuming run when third in the Apollo.
He has previously beaten Fangirl home at this track and distance in last year’s $1 million 7 Stakes (1600m), but was found out when sixth to her in the King Charles.
Other standouts out longer odds include the rails-drawn Waller import Buckaroo ($11) and the Godolphin-raced Cascadian ($16).
The Verry Elleegant Stakes 2024 is set to run as Randwick Race 7 at 4:00pm (AEDT) with full markets from Ladbrokes.com.au available by clicking here.
2024 Verry Elleegant Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 241x6316x3 | THINK IT OVER | Kerry Parker | Nash Rawiller | 3 | 59kg | 120 | ||
| 2 | 4x5213x7x9 | CASCADIAN (GB) | James Cummings | Tom Marquand | 9 | 59kg | 114 | ||
| 3 | x77114x0x7 | ARAPAHO (FR) | Bjorn Baker | Zac Lloyd (a) | 8 | 59kg | 109 | ||
| 4 | x143x275x5 | BUCKAROO (GB) | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 1 | 59kg | 107 | ||
| 5 | 6061x1110x | JUST FINE (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Regan Bayliss | 2 | 59kg | 106 | ||
| 6 | 222x0180x4 | NAVAJO PEAK | David Payne | Jason Collett | 4 | 59kg | 106 | ||
| 7 | 210x0488x6 | LINDERMANN | Chris Waller | Tim Clark | 5 | 59kg | 102 | ||
| 8 | Px9911872x | ATHABASCAN (FR) | John O’Shea | Tyler Schiller | 6 | 59kg | 99 | ||
| 9 | 27x13174x1 | FANGIRL | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 10 | 57kg | 119 | ||
| 10 | 6Px52021x8 | ATISHU (NZ) | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 7 | 57kg | 114 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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