THE Chris Waller-trained Verry Elleegant put down her first flag of the spring landing an impressive win in the Group 1 George Main Stakes over a mile at Randwick last Saturday.

Rachel King on Riodini flipped the script, taking her mount into a five-length lead on the ‘Randwick rise’ as Verry Elleegant and Think It Over scrambled to get back on terms.

With usual partner James McDonald on board, Verry Elleegant slipped through on the rails to strike in the last 50 metres, powering on to a remarkable win by almost a length as Riodini just held on for second ahead of the So You Think gelding Think It Over.

This was a ninth Group 1 win for the six-year-old Zed mare, while also bringing up Chris Waller’s 500th stakes win. He is just the seventh Australian-based trainer to do so. With 14 wins from 31 starts, Verry Elleegant’s earnings have broken through A$9.2 million.

“Verry Elleegant deserves to be called a champion,” said Waller. “I waited until Winx won her second Cox Plate to call her a champion and the time is right to give Verry Elleegant that honour.

“She has now won a Group 1 race every season since she was a three-year-old, she has won Group 1 races from 1,400 metres to 2,400 metres, at weight-for-age and handicaps, on all tracks. Yes, she is a champion!”

The Cox Plate now lies ahead for Verry Elleegant though the path is not so clear. “Hopefully she will get to a Cox Plate, but we are yet to decide where her next run will be,” added Waller.

“Whether it will be in Sydney in two weeks in the Hill Stakes, which is obviously on our radar, or if not there then it could be the Turnbull (Flemington, October 2nd) before the Cox Plate and who knows after that.”