Verry Elleegant set for Champions Day as Graffard hopes to forget Arc drama

Australia's beloved mare Verry Elleegant will be given one final chance to make her mark in Europe as she is to feature on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot a fortnight on from controversially being denied a run in the Arc.

Trainer Francis Graffard said she is to feature in the Group 1 Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes next Saturday in the hope of ending what has proved a frustrating campaign on a high.

The 11-time Group 1 winner had been moved to Europe specifically for the Arc, but she was unable to participate as her official French rating of 113 – 7lb below her Australian mark – was too low to gain a place in the race which featured a full field of 20 runners. Graffard said he was "ashamed" by the French authorities handling of the situation.

Instead last season's Melbourne Cup winner ran in the Prix de Royallieu at Longchamp on Saturday in which she finished seventh, four and three quarter lengths behind winner Sea La Rosa.

Graffard is eager to give Verry Elleegant a fourth and final European start, and she is as big as 33-1 with Sky Bet, Paddy Power and the Betfair Sportsbook for the Ascot race.

The trainer said: "Verry Elleegant will go to Ascot. She was very unlucky in the way the race was run at Longchamp, where there was no tempo and she was boxed in on the rail and pulled hard. She basically didn't have a race.

"It's hard to see such a fantastic mare beaten like that and it's upsetting too, but I felt that the race was over for her at the first bend when I saw where we were. Everything went against her and it's best forgotten, but she's come out of it well. She's happy and she tries and hopefully things will go her way."

Graffard will be busy on Champions Day with his Prix Vermeille winner Sweet Lady also set to line up in the Fillies & Mares, while The Revenant is set to contest the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes for the fourth straight year.

The seven-year-old won the mile Group 1 in 2020 and finished second and fourth in his two other appearances. He heads to Ascot having finished second in the Group 2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein at Longchamp on Saturday.

The Revenant: set for a fourth run on Champions DayCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Graffard said: "He's in top form and has come out of Saturday's race very well. He seems to be as enthusiastic as ever and has always run well on Champions Day. The softer the ground, the better for him.

"Sweet Lady will also run and she's in top form. We decided to avoid Arc weekend and focus on the Fillies & Mares, as we did with Bateel [2017 runner-up]."

Last season's Champion Stakes winner Sealiway will not take on Baaeed in a bid to defend his crown. He held off Dubai Honour last season when trained by Cedric Rossi, but disappointed in the Arc on Sunday.

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