Addeybb Repeats in Australia's Queen Elizabeth Stakes

Addeybb  and Tom Marquand retained their Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) crown with a battling success over arch-rival Verry Elleegant April 17 at Randwick.

The William Haggas-trained Addeybb lost out to Verry Elleegant in the Ranvet Stakes (G1) at Rosehill three weeks ago but atoned for that effort under a prominent ride from Marquand, who sent Addeybb to the front entering the straight.

Verry Elleegant traveled powerfully on his outside but was unable to pass the son of Pivotal , who finished half a length in front of the Chris Waller-trained mare. Dalasan was a further head back in third.

It was the fourth win at group 1 level for Addeybb, and the first in front of a crowd, having last year landed the Ranvet and Queen Elizabeth in Australia before finishing his season with success in the QIPCO Champion Stakes (G1) at Ascot. He also became the first Northern Hemisphere-trained horse to win three group 1s in Australia.

Marquand, who will return to Britain after this weekend, was emotional after the race.

"It's the closest I've been to tears for a very, very long time and I'm not all that old," he said.

"It's been pretty tough being away from home for a few months and I'd do it 10 times over for a moment like that.

"Last year was incredible but I couldn't help but think what a shame it was for everyone to come down here and win a race of this magnitude with no crowd. I thought I was unlucky, but now I realize I'm twice as lucky because I rode my first group 1 winners here last year without a crowd and it's almost like doing it all over again. The atmosphere here is just incredible."

Marquand, who wore a black armband in honor of the late Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, added: "What a phenomenal bid from William Haggas to bring him back down here because at points I was probably sceptical, as many were. All I can say is thank you, it's been incredible."

Addeybb broke slowly from barrier 3 and Marquand acted quickly to push him near the heels of the leaders. Verry Elleegant appeared to pull hard in the early stages and was dropped back towards the rear of the field by James McDonald.

McDonald crept closer on the outside rounding the turn and issued his challenge down the straight, but the mare was no match for Addeybb this time around, who never looked like relinquishing the lead once at the head of affairs.

"How tough he was there, genuinely at the 300 (meters) I went into a state where it didn't matter what was going on around me, it was just him galloping," said Marquand.

"I was completely unaware of which horses were where, all I could feel was they were pushing him to the line. If ever there's a horse to have at the 200 meters in a scrap, it's him."

Haggas was delighted his decision to send Addeybb back to Australia was rewarded but admitted he was too nervous to watch the battle unfold.

"I have to say I couldn't watch it really. Once he jumped, and jumped slow, and there was a bit of fiddling about early on, I walked out into the yard, because all the staff were watching on a big television," Haggas said.

"One of the girls said she felt sick, it was a very emotional moment. I don't think the other horses in the yard realize what's going on, it's a monumental moment.

Seven-year-old Addeybb was sporting blinkers for the first time in the Queen Elizabeth and Haggas explained the decision behind the gear addition.

"Tom made the decision and I supported him. It was a good call by Tom, I was worried about the ground but this is a remarkably resilient horse and he proved it today.

"Last year it was fabulously successful, this year I thought everything was against us. We were delayed a week and last year it was a Heavy 8, today it was a Good 4 and I thought today it wasn't our turn. But what an amazing horse, what a tough race.

"The first person who rang after the horses crossed the line was Chris Waller, and that shows what a sportsman he is. This is a tremendous day for racing, both Northern and Southern hemispheres, and we're very proud to be part of it."

Addeybb is one of 32 elite-level winners by Pivotal, who was retired from covering duty at the age of 28 earlier this year.

He stood 24 consecutive seasons at Cheveley Park in Newmarket and boasts a stud record containing a mammoth 241 stakes performers.

Addeybb is the only stakes winner out of Bush Cat  (Kingmambo ), who has produced seven winners from 10 runners, including the grade 3-placed Meer Kat .

Selino Lands Sydney Cup

The Chris Waller-trained Selino  landed the Schweppes Sydney Cup (G1) at Randwick Saturday under a brilliant ride from Ronnie Stewart, who notched his first Australian group 1 win.

The OTI Racing-owned import was carrying the bottom weight of 50 kilograms after running unplaced in five Australian starts since joining Waller from James Fanshawe's Newmarket yard, and Stewart took full advantage of the light load.

The jockey was patient with the hard-pulling Selino and held him up towards the rear of the field before edging closer in the final 600 meters. Stewart positioned him five-wide turning for home and the Champs Elysees  gelding scooted clear up the straight to win by 1 1/4 lengths from Rondinella. Miami Bound was the same distance further behind in third.

OTI Racing's Terry Henderson, who was able to purchase a 50% share in the lightly-raced stayer in partnership with Qatar Racing last September, was full of praise for Queensland-based Stewart's ride.

"We were bottom weight and from the handicap we were very well weighted, with a horse that was very capable at two miles and a jockey that rode the horse to perfection really," Henderson told ANZ Bloodstock News.

"It's a very special win, we've been second in the Sydney Cup a couple of times and to finally win the race is great. To do it with Sheikh Fahad and Dave Redvers, it was really special. We're immensely appreciative of the opportunity they gave us to buy into the horse and have him campaigned out here.

"Winning races during The Championships is a great thrill, we're lucky enough to have won the (Bentley Australian) Derby (G1) last year (with Quick Thinker) and now the Sydney Cup this year."

Selino won two of his 10 British starts, and placed twice in stakes company, before coming to Australia.

He raced once in the spring for Waller straight out of quarantine at Werribee, finishing eighth in the McCafe Moonee Valley Gold Cup (G2), before returning this preparation aimed at the Sydney Cup.

He was relatively unfancied off the back of a fourth-place effort in the Schweppes Chairman's Quality Handicap (G2) last weekend and Waller had a message for his owners, who had been concerned about his drift in the betting Saturday morning.

"Mr. Henderson sent me a message this morning asking why he's drifting in the betting and I said 'anyone asking that question just tell them to double their bet.' Hopefully there's some people that did take some notice," Waller said.

"It's a race he's been set for all along and it's very rewarding when it comes off. He's a good stayer and he was sent to me in very good form, so I appreciate getting the opportunity to train him. It was a lovely, patient ride from Ronnie Stewart."

All roads now lead to the Lexus Melbourne Cup (G1) for the 5-year-old, who will likely need his rating to be bolstered in order to get a run in the Flemington showpiece.

"The Melbourne Cup will be his target," said Henderson. "Because of the handicap system, he's probably not guaranteed a run in the Melbourne Cup, which seems silly.

"I'll talk to the Melbourne handicapper in the next week and see how he rates the race, but given he's currently rated 90 out here, and normally to guarantee a run in the Melbourne Cup you need to be around 110.

"It's almost inconceivable that a Sydney Cup winner wouldn't be an automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup."

Selino is the fifth elite-level winner by Champs Elysees, who died in 2018 aged 15.

Selino is one of five winners, and the first at stakes level, for Air Kiss  (Red Ransom ), an unraced half sister to European group 1 winner Invermark, group 2 winner Craigsteel, and group 3 winner Inchrory, a champion older stayer in Scandinavia in the late 1990s.