One of Australian racing's most popular modern-day champions Verry Elleegant will have a Group 1 race permanently named in her honour at the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
The Group 1 $1 million Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) will be run at Royal Randwick on Saturday March 2, replacing in name the Chipping Norton Stakes.
Verry Elleegant won the race named in her honour twice at Royal Randwick in 2021 and 2022 during a stellar career which included eleven victories at Group 1 level, eight on Australian Turf Club tracks.
Trained by Sydney's 13-time premiership winner Chris Waller, Verry Elleegant also won a Caulfield Cup (2020) and Melbourne Cup (2021) and in a 40-start career won 16 races and total prizemoney of $14.9 million.
She retired from racing in 2022 and in coming weeks is due to give birth to her first foal sired by famed northern hemisphere stallion Sea The Stars.
Australian Turf Club Chairman Peter McGauran said Verry Elleegant deserved a Group 1 race named in her honour.
“Verry Elleegant ranks amongst the greatest champions we were privileged to watch in Sydney in recent decades,” Mr McGauran said.
“Her versatility across all tracks, distances and right through her entire racing career saw her win a host of Group 1 races from 1400m to 3200m.
“The ATC is delighted to make this announcement in naming a Group 1 race in her honour especially as she continues her remarkable life with the imminent arrival of her first foal.”
Verry Elleegant's managing owner Brae Sokolski said he and fellow owners were forever grateful for the deeds of the champion thoroughbred.
“We are truly humbled to have this illustrious Group 1 race named in honour of our magnificent mare,” Mr Sokolski said.
“As significant as Verry Elleegant's achievements were, her legacy will not be measured in races won or prizemoney amassed but in the sheer joy she bought her legion of fans, and her indomitable will to win that was an inspiration to us all.
“I sincerely thank Peter McGauran and the ATC Board and look forward to many future champions being added to the honour roll of the Verry Elleegant Stakes.”