Melbourne Cup winner in foal

Jockey James McDonald reacts after winning the Melbourne Cup on Verry Elleegant in 2021. The horse, of which a Gisborne couple were part of a syndicate of part-ownership, is in foal to champion Irish stallion Sea of the Stars. Picture supplied

GIsborne couple Glen and Roselle Climo’s thoughts are in France as they eagerly await the birth of the first foal from their champion mare Verry Elleegant — winner of the Caulfield and Melbourne cups.

The couple have been associated with the horse since her birth in 2015.

The horse was bred by Don Goodwin — Glen’s old coach at Auckland’s Suburbs Rugby club — from his mare Opulence by the stallion Zed at Grangewilliam Stud.

She was originally raced by a group of friends, including Glen and Ros, who were later called the Elle syndicate.

Verry Elleegant, known affectionately as Ellee, spent her racing career in the colours of the Suburbs Rugby club — blue and red.

Originally trained by Nick Bishara, her first start came as a late two-year-old — a second placing at Te Rapa. Her next two starts were as a three-year-old at Ruakaka and Matamata, which she won by big margins.

From there, Goodwin sold 70 percent of her to Australian connections and Jomara Bloodstock, which is owned by brothers John and Mark Carter.

The Carters have a strong connection to Suburbs so Elle continued to race in the club colours.

The balance of the ownership then became most of the original ownership — called the Ellee Synd.

From then on, her racing career was on Australian turf, firstly under trainer Darren Weir and followed by Chris Waller.

All her Australian races were at group class level. She started her Group 1 victory list with the Vinery Stakes, followed two weeks later by the Australian Oaks.

She won 11 Group 1 races over distances of 1400 to 3200 metres, highlighted by the 2020 Caulfield Cup and 2021 Melbourne Cup.

Other Group 1 wins came in the Winx Stakes (1400m), Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m), Tancred Stakes (2400m), Ranvet Stakes (2000m), Turnbull Stakes (2000m) and George Main Stakes (1600m).

She won the Australian Horse of the Year for 2020-2021, Champion Australian Stayer for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 and Champion Australian Middle Distance Horse for 2020-2021.  She was recently inaugurated into New Zealand Racing’s Hall of Fame .

Ellee was commonly referred to as “the Darling of the Turf “ and had a large fan base.

Her association with jockey James McDonald was extraordinary.

He rode her to nine of her Group 1 wins including a four-length victory in the Melbourne Cup.

Master trainer Waller and his team did a magnificent job in her preparation.  Ellee wasn’t the easiest to get ready for her big tests, but Waller always found a way through different methods and diets.

He always put her welfare first and this was paramount in the Melbourne Cup when an 11th hour decision was made to start her.

Verry Elleegant  is now in foal to champion Irish stallion Sea of the Stars and is based in Ireland with plans to bring her back home in the 2024-2025 breeding season.

Glen Climo said Verry Elleegant changed the lives of many people.

“Who would have ever guessed she would take us to the winner’s circle at Flemington, Caulfield, Rosehill and Royal Randwick,” he said. “Yes, dreams sometimes come true.

“Thank you Ellee and wishing you all the very best of luck with motherhood.”