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By Ray Hickson

James McDonald feels he let Verry Elleegant and her fans down in last year’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes and is determined to make up for it in a classic renewal at Randwick on Saturday.

Jockey James McDonald (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The disappointment of a year ago, where McDonald was outpointed by Tom Marquand on Addeybb, has stayed with the champion jockey and he’s adamant there’ll be no repeat in 2022.

“She should have won the last one, it wasn’t one of my best steers but she ran unbelievably well,’’ McDonald said.

“It’s a great field, one of the best Queen Elizabeths I’ve seen, and she will definitely be there when the whips are cracking so to speak.

“She’s a top class horse and, don’t worry, she won’t let us down.

“She’s been so good to me, she has a soft spot in my heart and this race has eluded us so I’ll be doing my best. We’ll get it right.”

As McDonald mentioned, Verry Elleegant has tackled the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) twice and on both occasions filled second placing to Addeybb.

What’s different this year is that she’s coming into the race, against arguably the best 2000m weight-for-age field seen in Australia for several years, without a last start win against her name.

Nobody is offering any excuses, including trainer Chris Waller, for her two length defeat in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) three weeks ago behind Montefilia but McDonald said you only have to look back to last weekend to remember to not write off a champion.

“She didn’t run badly, she ran second to a proper horse and it was a semi-final for this race so she has improvement in her,’’ he said.

“She’s in great hands, her trainer will have her primed and ready to go. A real wet track won’t be a deterrent to us, she’s just a warrior.

"She’s very much like Nature Strip, she’s a grand final performer.”

Trainer Chris Waller said tactics have been Verry Elleegant’s downfall in the past two Queen Elizabeths and is pleased to see her drawn a little bit off the fence on Saturday.

He said the wet weather around has been challenging when preparing horses for the big races but is happy with Verry Elleegant’s preparation and isn’t going to over react to the Ranvet defeat.

“Montefilia beat her fair and square, I thought she would pick the winner up in the straight but she didn’t,’’ he said.

“Not panicking. I think what Verry Elleegant is, is a tough competitor so a tough 2000m contest when she is at her peak is when she will start to excel.”

Waller said Verry Ellegant’s performance, and how she comes through it, will determine whether she travels overseas later this year, has another preparation in Australia or is retired.

She has 11 Group 1 wins against her name and a top three finish will see her pass $15 million in prizemoney – a win takes her beyond $17 million.

Verry Elleegant runs second in the Ranvet Stakes

“A horse of Verry Elleegant’s stature, every race could be their last run. You don’t want to see them run poorly, so the day she has an off day could well be the last day,’’ he said.

“We’ll be watching Saturday closely, who knows she might have a bit more racing left yet.”

McDonald has the benefit of knowing many of his rivals very well, as he’s ridden Zaaki and Anamoe to Group 1 wins, but is adamant that won’t change how he steers his mare.

“I know their weaknesses and strengths are normally so I have a good handle on most of them,’’ McDonald said.

“But like I did with Nature Strip I’ll let their jockeys ride their horses and I’ll just ride my own.”

All the fields, form and replays for Day 2 of The Star Championships at Randwick