Waller’s Verry confident

Premier trainer rejects concerns over Elleegant

CHRIS Waller has dismissed fears Caulfield Cup winner Verry Elleegant is susceptible on firm ground as a torrent of Melbourne Cup wagers flooded in for Irish raiders Anthony Van Dyck and Tiger Moth.

Bidding to become the first horse since Ethereal in 2001 to land the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double, Verry Elleegant has been unfairly stereotyped as a soft-track performer, according to Waller.

“She’s been given the tag of being a wet-tracker certainly because she copes with all conditions,” Waller said.

“She’s run close to trackrecord times in mile races and I think it’s just how it’s worked out that a lot of her big race wins have been on wet tracks.

“If there is one consolation it is that if it’s true and she is a wet-tracker, it doesn’t make it a tough, demanding two miles.

“If it was a two-mile race on a really wet track, more concerned.”

Nine of Verry Elleegant’s 11 victories have come on rainaffected ground, including her brave Caulfield Cup success last month.

Waller, who will saddle Finche as well as Verry Elleegant in the Melbourne Cup, believes Caulfield Cup form is the most powerful currency leading into the great race.

His comments came

I’d be as

Tiger Moth reclaimed outright TAB favouritism at $8, as punters also zeroed in on Anthony Van Dyck, with one punter outlaying $20,000 at $8.50 on the English Derby winner.

“The extra 800m is obviously the unknown but wow, what a tough horse we’ve got,” Waller said of Verry Elleegant.

“She’s won three times over 2400m in some very good races.”

To be ridden by

Mark

Zahra, Verry Elleegant start from gate 15.

“OK for her,” Waller said. “I honestly didn’t want her to draw in too close because if she got caught in on the fence, as you’ve seen, she can get a little bit erratic in her running style.

“If Mark Zahra was caught down there on the fence, he’d have nowhere to go so at least he’s got room to move and the horse wouldn’t be as will claustrophobic as she would be on the fence.

“I just think room to move is the key for her.

“She can also slide when she needs to slide and be behind the right horses when she needs to get going.

“She’s got a great turn of foot. She’s won a 1400m Group 1 race and I doubt there’s another horse in the field that has done that, certainly not this preparation.

“The staying ability is there, she’s got the speed, it’s just a matter of luck in running.”