Verry Elleegant forced out of the Arc
Francis Graffard yesterday launched a scathing attack on the French racing authorities after the trainer felt he was left with no choice but to rule star mare Verry Elleegant (Zed) out of Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m).
The 11-time Group 1 winner was switched to Graffard from Chris Waller earlier in the year specifically for a shot at Europe’s premier all ages race, however her participation looked to be in doubt when she was ranked among the lowest-rated of the 24 entries made for the big race at Longchamp. Despite suggestions an exemption may be made, France Galop subsequently confirmed it would stick to a maximum field of 20.
Verry Elleegant was given an official French rating of 113 and required two horses to drop out to gain a run in the Arc. No horses above her on the list were scratched yesterday, so connections decided against supplementing her at a cost of €120,000 (approx. AU$179,060) in the expectation she would not get to run.
Under French rules, horses cannot be declared for two races at the same time. In order to guarantee a run on French racing’s biggest weekend, connections also declared the Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner for Saturday’s Prix de Royallieu (Gr 1, 2800m), a race for mares and fillies, with Mark Zahra flying in to take the ride.
Graffard was frustrated by the ruling, with the trainer fearing it may deter foreign challengers from being aimed at France’s flagship races in the future.
“The planets really haven’t aligned for us with the Arc being a 72-hour declaration,” he said. “It’s a very bad situation for French racing. The French authorities have put us in a very bad situation and I’m ashamed by their reaction and the way they have treated my owners and this mare from the day she arrived in France.
“I’m sure this will cost horses being sent to France by foreign owners in the future.
“We had to make a choice otherwise she would end up getting no run in the Arc or the Royallieu. At 11.30am I could see nothing had come out of the Arc so we had to keep her in the Royallieu.”
Verry Elleegant has run twice since leaving Waller following her fifth in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), finishing last of the seven runners in the Prix Jean Romanet (Gr 1, 2000m) at Deauville in August before showing improved form when stepped up in distance to finish third in the Prix Foy (Gr 2, 2400m), a recognised Arc trial, at Longchamp earlier in the month.
Zahra is committed to a flight to Paris and speaking before the news of Verry Elleegant’s re-routing broke he said: “I’m flying out on Thursday night. It would be nice to have a ride in the Arc, but if not, I’ve got a live chance in a Group 1 the day before. It’s not the end of the world.”
Zahra said it was a relatively easy decision to make to leave Melbourne for the weekend, especially after Gold Trip (Outstrip) failed to get his weight in the Turnbull Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Gold Trip has only 54.5 kilograms in Saturday’s race and will be ridden by Jamie Kah, while Zahra was also in the frame to ride Artzino (Tarzino), Doull (Snitzel) and Argentia (Frankel) in their respective races.
“Time will tell whether it’s a costly weekend or not,” Zahra said. “Originally, I thought I’m going to ride in the Arc, something to cross off the bucket list, but it’s a bit of a different story now.
“I’ve just got to make the most of what it is and if she doesn’t get a run, I’ve just got to think to myself I won’t have too many chances to ride a multiple Group 1 winner like her in France.”
Zahra will be on board Verry Elleegant for the fourth time in Saturday’s race, where the pair are set to face a maximum of nine rivals, including the progressive William Haggas-trained four-year-old Sea La Rosa (Sea The Stars).