There was a time when the prospect of Verry Elleegant being at the mercy of a small field in a tactical race might have caused Chris Waller a few sleepless nights.
But since her Melbourne Cup heroics, the champion trainer has no such anxieties.
Highly strung throughout her career, maturity has made Verry Elleegant a little more zen, and ensured Waller can be comfortable she will justify her $1.35 favouritism for the Ranvet Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.
“The prospect of a small field doesn’t worry me anymore,” Waller said.
“Seeing her relax as well as she did in the Melbourne Cup was a good indication of a furnished racehorse.
“From barrier four (in the Ranvet), it gives James (McDonald) the option to be outside the leader or back last, just depending on speed.
“Her only downfall is when she gets cluttered up down on the fence so we’ll try and avoid that if we can, but at the same time, it’s the shortest way home if we need to.”
The accomplished mare has scared off her rivals with just five opponents set to take her on in her quest for back-to-back Ranvet Stakes wins.
After finishing midfield behind Think It Over in the Apollo Stakes (1400m) first-up, she relished a distance rise to win the Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) and will be even better again over a middle-distance on Saturday.
While she has become versatile on all track conditions, she is especially adept in the wet and looks set to get an ideal surface at Rosehill.
“It was great to see her showing fighting qualities last start and the extra 400 metres is certainly a plus,” he said.
“She has trained on well and the track conditions are not a problem, good tracks or heavy tracks, she seems to be effective.”
Fourth behind only Winx, two-time Everest winner Redzel and stablemate Nature Strip on Australia’s all-time prizemoney list, Verry Elleegant will tip her stakes earnings over $15 million if she can land her 17th career win on Saturday.