Verry Elleegant - OZ jockey riding her in the Arc...

[Pegasus 9 524]

“Hopefully now the greedy bastard will let her enjoy her retirement.”

Could not have said it any better thanks Scooby.  She deserves so much better than BS as an owner.  

[Breeder 609]

Baaeed got beaten in his last start at the same meeting. Unfortunate way to end his racing career but it should not take anything away from the great reputation he has and deserves.

Juddmonte Farm is like a stallion factory.. While he does not stand at Barnstead Manor, New Bay, who had 2 winners in the Grp Ones yesterday, was bred by Juddmonte.

So we will see if he gets anywhere near Frankel and Kingman.

All the Group races from Ascot yesterday

https://www.breednet.com.au/news/19192/pedigree-watch-uk-–-british-champions-day--baaeed-beaten

[Ohokaman 5,850]

Shame Baaeed could not go out unbeaten but that track was too wet for him….nullified his turn of foot.
 

 

 

[scooby3051 10,976]

He tried bloody hard though...yes agree a shame...

[Ruby 160]

6 hours ago, Pegasus 9 said:

“Hopefully now the greedy bastard will let her enjoy her retirement.”

Could not have said it any better thanks Scooby.  She deserves so much better than BS as an owner.  

Yeah I think it's tragedy to the great mare to have her reputation tarnished  like this. I hope the ownership do the right thing by the mare but with that ego I doubt it

[Memphis3 1,267]

6 hours ago, Pegasus 9 said:

“Hopefully now the greedy bastard will let her enjoy her retirement.”

Could not have said it any better thanks Scooby.  She deserves so much better than BS as an owner.  

Egomaniac 

[stodge 1,951]

VERRY ELLEGGANT had a nice run round the outside without ever threatening to get involved.

EMILY UPJOHN won by three lengths but there was just three lengths between second and ninth so she wasn't that far off a place.

Maybe ironic, maybe coincidence but her old rival ADDEYBB also signed off today with a win in the Group 2 Conseil de Paris at Longchamp. In his prime, ADDEYBB was rated 125 - he retires now having a mark of 112. 

As for BAAEED, William Haggas gave this interview to Lydia Hislop of Racing TV:

Haggas is one of life's nice guys and does the gracious bit so well.

[scooby3051 10,976]

Verry Elleegant officially retired

Ryan Reynolds@Reynolds_R

 

5:05pm

 

Verry Elleegant at Longchamp (Image: Steve Cargill)

Champion mare Verry Elleegant has been officially retired and will be served by a yet-to-be-confirmed northern hemisphere sire.

The announcement was made by her ownership group on Thursday afternoon, pulling the curtain down on a glittering career which saw her claim 11 Group 1s.

Her crowning moment came in the 2021 Melbourne Cup, where she ran the fifth fastest time in the race’s history and destroyed a high-class field with James McDonald on board.

Earlier this year, a majority of the ownership group decided to campaign Verry Elleegant in Europe after failing to fully fire during the autumn.

She left Chris Waller's stable and joined Francis-Henri Graffard, but she couldn’t hit the heights of her Australian career, finishing down the track in a fillies and mares Group 1 on Sunday morning.

That race was always considered to be the final time punters saw her on a race track with owner Ozzie Kheir telling Racing.com on Sunday it was more than likely her last race.

That was confirmed on Thursday afternoon following a meeting with the ownership group.

“Rest assured though the Verry Elleegant story is far from over and we now look forward to the next chapter in her remarkable story, her life as a mum,” the ownership group said in a statement. 

“The plan is to keep her in the pristine fields of France until she can be served by a leading European stallion in Northern Hemisphere time next year.”

Verry Elleegant finishes her career with the equal 12th most Group 1s in Australia and almost $15m in prizemoney.

“Verry Elleegant's lasting legacy won't be measured by her prizemoney or group 1 tally but more so by the joy and happiness she bought her legion of fans and her indomitable will to win that inspired us all,” the owners said.

“Along the journey there were so many individuals that played a massive role in her success, but we would like to particularly thank the Chris Waller and his entire team including track rider Chris Harwood and strapper Rocky Mangat, jockey James McDonald and Francis Graffard and his stable for all their efforts in her European campaign.”

[Breeder 609]

I am surprised they are going to get her served to NH time. I would have thought, from a commercial point of view, they would have bigger demand for her progeny in the SH. But maybe they plan to race the resultant foal in the NH, themselves.

[Idolmite 2,566]

Just now, Breeder said:

I am surprised they are going to get her served to NH time. I would have thought, from a commercial point of view, they would have bigger demand for her progeny in the SH. But maybe they plan to race the resultant foal in the NH, themselves.

 

That did strike me as a little strange when I first read it, but maybe that is their plan. It doesn't make a lot of sense otherwise. If she'd won The Arc, perhaps, but she's going to be remembered for her Southern Hemisphere escapades, not those in the North. 

[Insider 3,973]

On 10/21/2022 at 12:01 PM, Idolmite said:

 

That did strike me as a little strange when I first read it, but maybe that is their plan. It doesn't make a lot of sense otherwise. If she'd won The Arc, perhaps, but she's going to be remembered for her Southern Hemisphere escapades, not those in the North. 

A lot that they have done of late doesn’t make sense. 
I know that both Frankel and Kingman are serving to SH time and it’s certainly not too late. 
I agree, very strange. 
P.S. Either of the above would be very suitable. 

[diesel 200]

I'm so pleased VE will get to finally retire from the racetrack, certainly wish her all the best.

[stodge 1,951]

I wouldn't like to pretend to guess the best stallion for VERRY ELLEGGANT.

Obviously, there's a choice or several up here but the NH breeding season isn't for three or four months yet and as others have said not only do the top stallions serve to southern hemisphere time but we have a number who shuttle. 

There's also the depth of the owners' pockets - DUBAWI goes for £250,000, FRANKEL for £200,000 and KINGMAN for £150,000. There are of course plenty of cheaper stallions on the market. OASIS DREAM goes for just £20,000 as an example.

[Pegasus 9 524]

Andrew Eddy.  Racing.Com
 

“Verry Elleegant is set to tap into some of Europe’s finest bloodlines with a date with Baaeed’s sire Sea The Stars early next year the favoured option.

Part-owner Brae Sokolski said although the date was yet to be confirmed, he said the ownership group had a keen interest in sending their 11-time group 1 champion to the world’s best thoroughbred of 2009, who has since sired the likes of European stars Baaeed and Stradivarius.

Sea The Stars stands at the Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud in Ireland for an advertised fee of the equivalent of about $A230,000.

“She’ll be served to northern hemisphere time and while no final decision has been made on the stallion, Sea The Stars is probably the most likely suitor,” Sokolski said of last year’s Melbourne Cup hero.

“Then we will decide whether to keep her there (Europe) and do it again or bring her back. It’s unresolved at the moment.”

Verry Elleegant finished her racing career with an unplaced run in the G1 British Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes (2400m) at Ascot last month after three below-par performances in France for trainer Francis Graffard.

Sea The Stars, by Cape Cross, was voted the best thoroughbred in the world in 2009 on the back of an astonishing G1 run where he won the Epsom Derby, the Eclipse Stakes (Sandown), the International Stakes (York), the Irish Champion Stakes (Leopardstown) and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Longchamp).

Sea The Stars has had a number of horses race in Australia with group 1 winners Fifty Stars (Australian Cup) and Shraaoh (Sydney Cup) among his most prominent.”

[Black Kirrama 1,514]

The great mare has a percentage share available on Gavel House.

Can you believe this shit with the ownership ?

 

[Insider 3,973]

1 minute ago, Black Kirrama said:

The great mare has a percentage share available on Gavel House.

Can you believe this shit with the ownership ?

 

NO

[Kingshill 233]

A possible chance for a comp on the breeding forum? 

How much will the share sell for? 

[Nerula 1,403]

The Service fee for SEA THE STARS would make you reyes water. Hence the share on the block

You got to know when to hold em ----------=

[Black Kirrama 1,514]

2 hours ago, Insider said:

NO

Doesn't this remind you of the David Archer  balls's up with  Mufhasa ?

His wonderful  trainer , Steve McKee who had won a record number of NZ Group Ones with the Pentire gelding.

Archer knew best and  spit the dummy,  and changed trainers.

Archer has continued to have group One success with Lance O'Sullivan.

 

Steve Mc Kee, always the true  blue professional has never commented publicly.

To his credit. 

Maybe his wife Fionas's next book  will tell us more.

Fiona wrote the book " Sunline  Heart Of a Champion"

 

 

 

 

[diesel 200]

From memory, wasn't the reason to change stable due to the dedicated strapper of Mufhasa moving on?

[Breeder 609]

One of the Verry Elleegant owners is selling his 12.5% on Gavelhouse. Will interesting to see what it goes for.

https://editions.app.anzbloodstocknews.com/2022-11/11/web/assets/downloads/ANZ_221111_v1_online.pdf

 

[scooby3051 10,976]

14 hours ago, Insider said:

NO

Wouldn't be fun to be a minority shareholder I would think. The guy in charge has a big ego.

[Patiti 274]

7 minutes ago, Breeder said:

Will interesting to see what it goes for.

$1m

[Kingshill 233]

$480,000 NZ

[Memphis3 1,267]

$545,000 Nz