Owners of champion mare Verry Elleegant have proposed a winner-take-all $10m match race with Addeybb

Owners of champion mare Verry Elleegant have made a staggering offer to race Queen Elizabeth Stakes conqueror Addeybb in a winner-take-all $10m match race.

However, unfortunately for the Australian racing public, the race won’t come to fruition despite best intentions – at least not this year.

An early morning call to master trainer William Haggas at Newmarket in England on Sunday offering $5m for a match race against his Queen Elizabeth Stakes hero Addeybb must have come as a shock, but Haggas regathered himself and listened intently.

The caller was Brae Sokolski, part owner of champion mare Verry Elleegant and he was lunching at Mr Wong restaurant in Sydney and discussing with fellow owners how his team could exact revenge on their arch-rival.

For two years running Addeybb had beaten Verry Elleegant into second place in the showcase event of The Championships – the Queen Elizabeth Stakes but this time around the result didn’t sit well with Sokolski and a few of the owners.

The two horses have met four times with the score 3-1 in favour of the English raider but connections of Verry Elleegant are not convinced the better horse won on Saturday.

ADDEYBB WINS #TheRematch
He takes out the Queen Elizabeth Stakes for @WilliamHaggas
Peach of a ride from @TomMarquand#TheChampionshipspic.twitter.com/M2u1V3QukS

“Nothing went right for us and while I normally cop it on the chin this time I wasn’t convinced,” Sokolski said.

“I thought why not have a crack, and see what William had to say about a match race.

“He gave me time and listened respectfully, we talked for a good while and he actually said he loved the idea but it was going to be too hard this time around.

“His jockey Tom Marquand was already heading home and the horse was in the throes of getting out of the country as well.

“William said with a bit more notice he may well have been on board and he would certainly have given it plenty of thought.

“We proposed each team putting up five million dollars and the winner took the ten (million).

Brae Sokolski watches Verry Elleegant in the Melbourne Cup. Stuart McEvoy/The Australian.Source:News Corp Australia

“It wasn’t like we were prepared to just throw money away, we honestly believe Verry Elleegant would beat Addeybb if they went head to head.

“It also didn’t help with the carnival going back a week as it shortened preparation time for Addeybb going back for Royal Ascot.”

As Addeybb jets out of the country to launch an assault on the big races in Europe the future of Verry Elleegant is yet to be decided.

“We’ll let the dust settle and then make a decision on whether she stays here and goes to the Cox Plate or we head to France for the Arc,” Sokolski said.

“I’ve always been keen on the Arc but the covid situation continues to be an issue so we have some serious thinking to do.”

And from there is could be another crack at the Queen Elizabeth and possibly another meeting, or two, with Addeybb next autumn.

Originally published asVerry Elleegant owners propose $10m match race with Addeybb

Source: Read Full Article