Verry Elleegant
In a little over a decade, Henry Field has built Newgate into one of the leading stallion operations in Australia and a force to be reckoned with on the international thoroughbred playing field. Foxwedge got the stallion arm of the operation up and running in 2012 and, since then, the roster has grown exponentially, with Capitalist and Extreme Choice some of the more recent additions to the farm. In this week's Q&A, Field explained the key principals that helped him build Newgate into what it is today, discussed...
Eleven-times Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) is likely to visit leading European sire Sea The Stars (Ire) in her first year at stud in 2023, Racing.com reports. Co-owner Brae Sokolski told the website that the decision was not final, but that the ownership was leaning in the direction of breeding to the sire that has been represented by the world's top-rated turf horse Baaeed (GB) and the legendary stayer Stradivarius (Ire). "She'll be served to northern hemisphere time and while no final decision has been made on...
Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}--Opulence {NZ}, by Danroad {Aus}), the darling of Australian racing with 11 top-flight successes under her belt in that jurisdiction, has been retired following her run in the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. at Ascot on British Champions Day. The 7-year-old won all of her Group 1 races for Chris Waller before being transferred to Francis-Henri Graffard this summer in preparation for an audacious European campaign, which was focused around the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Last year's G1 Melbourne Cup winner did...
Francis-Henri Graffard has voiced his frustration after confirming Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) will miss the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe following France Galop's decision to limit the field to 20 runners. Last year's G1 Melbourne Cup winner travelled to Europe and joined Graffard earlier this year with the main aim of running in the French highlight. However, she disappointed on her French debut in the G1 Prix Jean Romanet--finishing last of seven--and, despite showing significant improvement to place third in the G2 Prix Foy on her second start,...
Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) has been confirmed to be on course for the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and will be supplemented for France's most prestigious race, which this year takes place on Sunday, October 2. The seven-year-old mare, whose 11 Group 1 wins include the Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup, has raced twice since leaving Chris Waller's Sydney stable and joining Francis Graffard in Chantilly, most recently finishing third in the G2 Prix Foy. Announcing the news on Twitter, Verry Elleegant's connections said, "After a meeting...
Following the frantic Saturday, a sense of serenity returns to the European racing scene on Sunday with Deauville hosting the leading action including the G1 Darley Prix Morny and G1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet. In the latter contest, France says bienvenue to the Australian wonder Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) who makes her eagerly anticipated Northern Hemisphere debut under Frankie Dettori for the Francis-Henri Graffard stable. Her astounding 11 Group 1 wins in her former country make her a figure of worldwide renown, but a 12th in Europe would truly...
Australian super mare Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) will miss Tuesday's G1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville and will be aimed instead at the G1 Prix Jean Romanet over 2,000 metres later in the month. In a statement on Twitter on Friday morning, her trainer Francis Graffard said, "Following her last bit of serious work yesterday we have decided not to declare Verry Elleegant for the G1 Prix Rothschild on Tuesday, 2 August. She is telling us that she needs a bit more time and, having discussed it with her owners,...
Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) could make her first European start in August as her new trainer Francis-Henri Graffard revealed he is considering a bid for the G1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville. A sensation in Australia, Verry Elleegant won 11 Group 1 races--including the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup--under the care of Chris Waller before it was announced in May that she would continue her career in France. The G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the G1 Fillies & Mares Stakes on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot were...
Chris Waller, trainer of Home Affairs (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) and Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}), two of the fastest horses in the world, provided an upbeat bulletin on his Royal Ascot hopefuls after they had their first experience of the track on Friday morning. Home Affairs is on course to run in the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. while Nature Strip is a leading fancy for the G1 King's Stand S. for Waller, who will forever be remembered for his handling of Australian legend Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire})...
G1 Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) will join Francis Graffard in France with a view towards targeting the major races in Europe this season, the connections of the Australian ace have announced. An 11-time Group 1 winner, Verry Elleegant has netted her connections over £8 million and was described by Chris Waller, the man who managed her glittering career in Australia, as an "honour" to be associated with. The statement from the ownership group was released on Thursday, and it read, "Being part of a champion racehorse...
Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) will not travel to Australia for next year's Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival after receiving treatment for a blood clot in a hock. Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's 7-year-old gelding recently spent two weeks in an equine hospital after the clot became infected. He is now back at trainer William Haggas's Newmarket yard and while expected to race next season, he will not be ready for Sydney in March and April, where his targets would have included an attempt at a third straight G1 Queen Elizabeth II S.,...
On the heels of his front-running, 2 3/4-length defeat of Medina Spirit (Protonico) in the Nov. 6 GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar, Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go (Paynter) has been assigned a rating of 128 and sits atop the latest edition of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings (WBRR). With his victory in the $6-million centerpiece of Breeders' Cup weekend, the 5-year-old improved on his previous best ranking of 124. Knicks Go ranks one point higher than the trio of G1 Investec Derby/G1 King George & Queen...