The Turf Club of Australia has renamed the historic Group 1 race to honor the achievements of one of the most popular champions of the modern era, Fairy Elegant.
The Chipping Norton Stakes, traditionally Sydney's first Group 1 race of the year and boasting $1 million in prize money, will now be called the Verry Elegant Stakes.
The weight-for-age race, which will be held on March 2, will be held on the famous Royal Randwick Mile (1600 metres), and has been won by the most prominent names in Australian racing since its inception in 1925, including Chris. Waller herself coached Fairy Elegant in 2021-22.
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Other great winners of the race include another of Waller's strong mares, Winx who won the race four times in a row from 2016 to 2019, as well as the likes of Phar Lap (1930), Burnborough (1946), Tulloch (1958, 1960) and Skye. High (1962), Super Impose (1991-92), Octagonal (1997), Tie The Knot (1999-2002), Lonhro (2003), Anamoe (2023).
Waller, who has trained 10 winners of the race, said Fairy Elegant's record deserved the recognition.
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“Fairy Elegant was a simple filly when she first came to us and was never a big horse but she was very loyal,” Waller said.
“She was able to win Group One races from 1400m to 3200m which is very rare in the modern era, and her Melbourne Cup win at 57kg proved she was a champion.
“It's great that this race is named in her honor. We hope to have a few runners in the Verry Elegant Stakes with our No. 1 seed Fangirl.”
Champion mare Fairy Elegant, who also won the Melbourne Cup (2021) and Caulfield Cup (2020), was voted Horse of the Year in 2021-2022.
Very Elegant retired having won 16 races, including 11 at Group One level, from 40 entries for a total prize pool of approximately $14.9 million, ranking fourth on the all-time list behind former stablemates Winx ($26.4 million) and Nature Stripe ( $20.7 million). ) and double winner The Everest Redzel ($16.4 million).
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Australian Turf Club president Peter McGurran said Fairy Elegant deserved to be named in her honour, especially as the mare had won eight Group 1 races at Sydney racecourses.
“Ferry Elegant is among the greatest champions we have had the privilege of witnessing in Sydney in recent decades,” McGurran said.
“ATC is delighted to make this announcement naming the Group 1 race in her honor especially as she continues her wonderful life with the imminent arrival of her first foal.”
Bray Sokolski, managing owner of Very Elegant, said he and his fellow owners were “really humbled” to rename the Group 1 race after their champion mare.
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“While Very Elegant’s accomplishments are significant, her legacy will not be measured by the races she won or the prize money she collected, but by the sheer joy she earned from a legion of fans, and her indomitable will to win that was an inspiration to us all,” Sokolski said. .
“A huge thank you to Peter McGurran and the ATC Board of Directors and I look forward to adding many future champions to the Verry Elegant Stakes honors list.”
■ Fairy Elegant is due to foal her first foal by Northern Hemisphere champion stallion Sea The Stars in the next few weeks.
Originally published as the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes to be renamed in honor of champion mare Verry Ellegant
