Verry Elleegant mess shows a disrespectful indifference to Australian form

The world's best races should be contested by the best horses. By this simple logic, the absence of star Australian mare Verry Elleegant on Sunday is an own goal for French racing.

The seven-year-old was moved to Francis Graffard for a shot at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe but missed out because the rating of 113 assigned to her by the French handicapper was lower than the 20 top-rated entries. In the expectation she wouldn't get in, connections decided not to supplement as that would have disqualified her from her alternative plan of Saturday's Qatar Prix de Royallieu (1.33).

Graffard said he was "ashamed" of the French authorities for their treatment of Verry Elleegant and there is no question in my mind that her connections have every right to be frustrated. It is hard not to feel for them.