Jockey James Macdonald celebrates winning the Melbourne Cup on Verry Elleegant. Photo: Getty Images
The 2021 Melbourne Cup winning mare Verry Elleegant has died following complications giving birth.
Verry Ellegant had moved to France in 2022 to continue her racing career, but was retired later that year before beginning a new career as a broodmare.
She was in foal to superstar stallion Sea The Stars, who won a string of big global races including the 2,000 Guineas in England, the English Derby, the Eclipse Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Verry Elleegant - trained for almost her entire career by ex-pat Kiwi Chris Waller - won the 2020 Caulfield Cup, the 2021 Melbourne Cup defeating Incentivise and was named the 2020/2021 Australasian Horse of the Year.
Waller posted a statement on social media on behalf of the ownership group.
"It is incredibly sad that we pass on the news … that Verry Elleegant has passed away due to complications giving birth to her foal," Waller's statement read.
"The news is just filtering through to stable staff and other close connections who are coming to terms with this tragic news.
"She was in fantastic hands on a farm who did all they could for her, and we would like to thank them for their efforts which we will be forever grateful for.
"We all saw the courage she had on the racetrack over many seasons, and she will never be forgotten by those close to her as well as the wider racing public who followed her career and loved her so much."
This story first appeared on the ABC