Australia: Addeybb, Verry Elleegant continue rivalry in Queen Elizabeth
The fourth Group 1 showdown between the English gelding Addeybb and the Australian mare Verry Elleegant in Saturday’s $3.09 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse may favor the visitor.
In March and April of 2020, Addeybb beat Verry Ellegant in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at the same distance.
Since then, both have thrived. Addeybb, a 7-year-old Irish-bred trained by William Haggas, returned to England where he was second in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last June and won the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot last October.
:: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing
Verry Elleegant has been outstanding in the last 12 months, with Group 1 wins in the Cox Plate in October, Australia’s top weight-for-age race, and the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes at a mile in February. A 5-year-old New Zealand-bred mare, Verry Elleegant is the leading contender for Australia’s Horse of the Year title for the 2020-2021 season. She was seventh in the Melbourne Cup at two miles last November.
In their lone encounter this year, Verry Ellegant caught Addeybb in the final sixteenth to win the Ranvet Stakes by a length. The Ranvet Stakes was Addeybb’s first start since October.
With the benefit of a recent start and the addition of blinkers, Addeybb may be a greater threat to Verry Elleegant in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. There was little between them in the betting as of Thursday, with Addeybb a slight 2-1 choice over 5-2 Verry Elleegant in a field of seven.
Of the others, Sir Dragonet, winner of the Group 1 Tancred Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Rosehill Gardens on April 3, has the best chance to spoil the hyped matchup between Addeybb and Verry Elleegant. Sir Dragonet was fourth in the Ranvet Stakes last month, beaten about 2 1/4 lengths.
There are three other Group 1 races on an all-stakes 10-race program at Randwick, which begins at 9:30 p.m., Eastern, or 6:30 p.m., Pacific, on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
Favorite Moon and Realm of Flowers, the first two finishers in the Group 3 Manion Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Rosehill Gardens on March 27, lead early betting at 9-2 each in a wide-open running of the $1.54 million Sydney Cup at two miles.
The Chosen One, fourth in the Melbourne Cup and 11th in the Tancred, is a proven stayer and part of a field of 14.
Hungry Heart, the winner of the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes at 1 1/4 miles for 3-year-old fillies at Rosehill Gardens on April 3, will face a distance test in the $774,400 Australian Oaks at 1 1/2 miles.
Hungry Heart closed from last in a field of 10 in the Vinery Stud Stakes to finish a head in front of Harmony Rose, who may be a slight favorite in the Australian Oaks in her first start over the longer trip.
The distance should be no issue for the New Zealand star Amarelinha, who won the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks at 1 1/2 miles on March 27 for her fifth win in seven starts. This is Amarelinha’s first start in Australia.
The $774,400 Queen of the Turf Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile is led by Probabeel, who will be a strong favorite to win her third group-level race of the year. Probabeel won the Group 1 Futurity Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield Racecourse on Feb. 20, and was 12th of 15 in the $3.85 million All-Star Mile at Moonee Valley on March 13 as the 5-2 favorite, failing to keep pace at a pivotal point on the turn.
Probabeel won her most recent start at Randwick, the Group 1 Epsom Stakes at a mile last October.