More than three months after her popular win in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at two miles at Flemington Racecourse in Australia, Verry Ellegant will be favored to win a race of half that distance in Saturday’s Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. Verry Elleegant won the Chipping Norton last February as part of a campaign that led to her being named Australia’s 2020-21 Horse of the Year. The season ended at the end of July, so Verry Elleegant’s win in the Melbourne Cup puts her firmly in contention for the same award this season. The $428,340 Chipping Norton Stakes will be Verry Elleegant’s second start of the year, preceded by a seventh-place finish by 4 1/2 lengths in the Grade 2 Apollo Stakes at seven furlongs on Feb. 12. Verry Elleegant raced on the inside and closed with interest at a distance shorter than her optimum trip. The Chipping Norton will be Verry Elleegant’s first start at a mile since a win in the Group 1 George Main Stakes at Randwick in September. Trained by Chris Waller, the 6-year-old Verry Elleegant will be ridden by James McDonald, who was aboard for the George Main, Melbourne Cup, and Apollo Stakes. As of Thursday, Verry Elleegant was the 2-1 favorite in a field of 13 in the Chipping Norton. Think It Over, who won his fourth consecutive stakes in the Apollo, and Colette, a 5-year-old mare who was second in the Apollo, also have winning chances. :: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing Randwick has a 10-race program beginning at 8:25 p.m. Eastern, or 5:25 p.m. Pacific, on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com. The program includes the Group 1 Surround Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs. In a field of 16, Fangirl and Espiona are the leading contenders. They were first and second in the Group 2 Lightfinger Stakes at six furlongs at Randwick on Feb. 12. Mo’unga returns in Futurity Stakes  A comeback in a seven-furlong Group 1 race worked spectacularly for Mo’unga when the 4-year-old won the Winx Stakes at 10-1 at Randwick last August. Mo’unga had not raced since April and won by a neck over Verry Elleegant who also was returning from a four-month layoff. Mo’unga is winless in four starts since the Winx Stakes, but will race again at seven furlongs in Saturday’s Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, his first start since November. Once again, Mo’unga looks well-placed, and once again faces a very tough field. The competition in the field of eight includes the Group 1 winners Tofane and I’m Thunderstruck. Tofane is sharp, having won the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield on Feb. 12 in his first start since October. I’m Thunderstruck, who won the Group 1 Toorak Handicap at a mile at Caulfield in October, closed from ninth of 12 to finish 3 1/4 lengths behind Tofane in the Orr in his first start since a win the Golden Eagle Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in October. Tofane will be favored and is likely hold an early lead, while Mo’unga and I’m Thunderstruck tend to run from off the pace. The $535,425 Futurity Stakes, which is open to 3-year-olds and older, is one of three consecutive Group 1 races on a nine-race program at Caulfield that begins at 8:40 p.m. Eastern, or 5:40 p.m. Pacific, on Friday.  A full field of 16 Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds start in the $1.07 million Blue Diamond Stakes at six furlongs, a race that lacks a heavy favorite. Jacquinot, a troubled fifth in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude at 5 1/2 furlongs at Caulfield on Feb. 12, was 4-1 on Thursday, a slight choice over the filly Revolutionary Miss and Sebonack, who must pass a pre-race veterinary inspection to start. Sebonack won his lone start in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes at five furlongs on Feb. 5. The undefeated 5-year-old mare Marabi will have her Group 1 debut in the $535,425 Oakleigh Plate at 5 1/2 furlongs on Saturday, her first start since a win in the Group 2 Australia Stakes at six furlongs at Moonee Valley on Jan. 29.  Marabi often sets the pace and has 13 rivals in the Oakleigh Plate.