J-Mac on a mission to guide mighty mare crowning glory

The Melbourne Cup has become a personal mission for James McDonald after he was booked to reunite with star mare Verry Elleegant at Flemington on Tuesday.

The seven-year-old is the reigning horse of the year and has a Caulfield Cup among her nine group 1 victories â€" each in a different race â€" but there remains a debate as to whether she should be lifted into the champion category.

James McDonald gives Verry Elleegant another winning pat.Credit:Getty

“If she can win, it propels her to legend status and it would stop any discussions about how good she is and where she sits,” McDonald said.

“I have had so much success on her and she has been good to me, good for her connections and Chris [Waller], and I want to make this her biggest day in the twilight of her career.”

McDonald has a special association with Verry Elleegant and has played a big part in turning the quirky mare into a racing machine that has dominated on the track for the past 18 months.

“She means a lot to me, and it would be very special to get a Melbourne Cup with her,” he said.

“It has been a long journey and it would be the icing on the cake for her to win the biggest race of the year.”

McDonald has been in the saddle for nine of Verry Elleegant’s 14 wins but missed the ride on her in last year’s Melbourne Cup when she stormed home into seventh because he couldn’t be on her in all her Melbourne starts for the spring.

That effort gives him a lot of hope heading to Flemington.

“She got a long way back and was as strong as anything at the end of the Cup last year,” McDonald said. “She is a fighter and she will run the trip out, I have no doubt about that.

“The only negative I can see is the 57kg, but there is a long tail to this field and I can’t see any other horse in this field, apart from the favourite, that could have run third in the Cox Plate.

“She is very good, and I think she can show that Tuesday.”

Chris Waller took until Saturday to decide to run Verry Elleegant and said if there was “any negative’ he would not have elected to do so. He knows she is a special stayer and believes she can run better than 12 months ago.

“Her run in the Cox Plate was excellent, and she was very unlucky in the Melbourne Cup last year,” Waller said.

“We are not questioning her staying ability, and it’s the Melbourne Cup at the end of the day.

“When I was setting the program I was aware that Makybe Diva went Turnbull Stakes and Cox Plate for her third Melbourne Cup win, and, knowing she had a big weight, I used the same program.”

Waller has plenty of respect for the favourite Incentivise, but he knows the ability of his mare.

“She gets her chance but obviously we need to find a chink in his armour. Maybe it is the distance, most likely not, but she will keep him honest,” Waller said.

“The draw has made it very tricky for Verry Elleegant but James McDonald knows her very well, so that makes my job a bit easier.”

Waller will also saddle up Auckland Cup winner Ocean Billy and Sydney Cup winner Selino. Both are outsiders but are proven at the two-mile journey.

Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.

Share this post