Verry Elleegant (foaled 12 October 2015) is a New Zealand-bred Australian-trained Thoroughbred racehorse that has won 11 Group One races. She was crowned the 2020/2021 Australian Racehorse of the Year, and was the winner of the 2021 Melbourne Cup and 2020 Caulfield Cup. Background Verry Elleegant is out of the New Zealand race mare Opulence, which was owned by her initial trainer, Nick Bishara. After Opulence won two races she was sold at the 2011 Mixed Sale at Karaka to Don Goodwin, who is the owner of Very Elleegant's sire, Zed. The horse was named after Goodwin's granddaughter Ellee. Previously, he had named her brother "Verry Flash", adopting the "verry" spelling to be distinctive. Both Bishara and Goodwin struck up a friendship and raced Verry Elleegant until she was sold to clients of Australian trainer Darren Weir. Racing career 2017/18: two-year-old season Verry Elleegant made her racing debut on 7 July 2018. She finished second at Te Rapa Racecourse in New Zealand, ridden by Rowena Smyth in the Majestic Horse Floats Plate. 2018/19: three-year-old season One month after her debut run, Verry Elleegant won her first race, a maiden, in convincing style at Ruakaka when ridden by Rowena Smyth. After producing a last to first victory, Smyth said after the race, "That was awesome the way she picked them up and flew past them. She just took off. Once she gets over a trip when she is older she is going to be a lovely filly." After back-to-back wins with a further dominant victory at Matamata Racecourse in a benchmark 65 race, Verry Elleegant was sold and transferred to Australian trainer, Darren Weir, with the intention of the horse participating in the forthcoming Spring Racing Carnival. Darren Weir’s Australian clients purchased a fifty per cent share of the horse, with Jomara Bloodstock and the original ownership group retaining a 25 per cent share. At her Australian debut, Verry Elleegant ran a luckless third placing in the Edward Manifold Stakes. Former trainer and part owner Nick Bishara said after the race, "It's a pity she didn't win, but still it was a top run and it showed she is up to the class over there." Despite the third placing, Verry Elleegant firmed into favouritism for the Group 1 VRC Oaks. In what is considered a lead up to the Oaks, Verry Elleegant ran in the Ethereal Stakes. She raced fiercely in