The Chipping Norton Stakes was renamed as the Verry Elleegant Stakes in 2024 to honour two-time champion Verry Elleegant who sadly passed away in February (2024) when in foal for the first time
The latest edition of the Verry Elleegant Stakes ran on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at Randwick and was won by Chris Waller’s undefeated queen Autumn Glow ($1.26F) who made it ten on the trot.
2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Results
The official Verry Elleegant Stakes Results 2026 and finishing order on the event renamed in 2024 from the Chipping Norton Stakes will be published below on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
- #8 Autumn Glow
- #9 Aeliana
- #2 Sir Delius
Chris Waller’s four-year-old star, Autumn Glow ($1.26F), continued her flawless record posting her 10th win on the trot with another quality victory for the punters as the odds-on favourite in Saturday’s 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes results. Rated to perfection by James McDonald, the brilliant daughter of The Autumn Sun came from fourth on the turn for home to charge down the outside and deny her brave stablemate Aeliana in a repeat of the Apollo Stakes quinella and shoot to the top of futures markets for all of her possible upcoming autumn targets including the George Ryder Stakes on March 21.
2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Odds
The updated Verry Elleegant Stakes 2026 odds on the race formerly known as the Chipping Norton Stakes can be found here as soon as released followed by the official Verry Elleegant Stakes results after the event so, stay tuned!
| 8. Autumn Glow (3) J: James McDonald 57kg 111×1T: Chris Waller | ||
| 9. Aeliana (1) J: Zac Lloyd 57kg 256×2T: Chris Waller | ||
| 2. Sir Delius (6) J: Craig Williams 59kg x211xT: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | ||
| 5. Soul Of Spain (5) J: Tommy Berry 59kg 123×9T: Chris Waller | ||
| 4. Wootton Verni (7) J: Adam Hyeronimus 59kg 411×7T: Chris Waller | ||
| 1. Ceolwulf (2) J: Chad Schofield 59kg 611×6T: Joseph Pride | ||
| 7. Trinity College (4) J: Tim Clark 58.5kg 2412xT: Chris Waller | ||
| 6. Valiant King (9) J: Sam Clipperton 59kg 0130xT: Chris Waller | ||
| 3. Lindermann (8) J: Nash Rawiller 59kg 211×3T: Chris Waller |
Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Tips
Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) tips favour the best performers in the Apollo Stakes, a race that has produced more Chipping Norton Stakes winners than any other event in the past 30 years including Contributer (2015), Winx (2016 & 2017 & 2019), Anamoe (2023) and Autumn Glow (2026) who all completed the double.
Winx also won the Chipping Norton Stakes in 2018 and dominated tipping and betting on the weight-for-age autumn feature but did so first-up.
Via Sistina (3rd in 2025) was the also won the Verry Elleegant Stakes off an Apollo Stakes lead-up when turning the tables on the Apollo winner Fangirl who ran second in the Group 1 for the third straight year.
A top Verry Elleegant Stakes tip is to look at the horse drawn in barrier four as that gate has produced 11 champions of the race from 1983 – 2026, most recently Winx (4 of 10 in 2017 and 4 of 7 in 2019) and Verry Elleegant (4 of 9 in 2021).
The ill-fated Verry Elleegant returned to win from barrier three in 2022. Barrier three also produced the 2023 Chipping Norton Stakes winner Anamoe and Autumn Glow in 2026.
2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ insider Verry Elleegant Stakes 2026 tips (formerly Chipping Norton Stakes tips) will be provided below the week of the race each autumn so stay tuned for the runners to back and sack in the mile Group 1 this season.
| 8. Autumn Glow (3) J: James McDonald 57kg 111×1T: Chris Waller |
| 2. Sir Delius (6) J: Craig Williams 59kg x211xT: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| 3. Lindermann (8) J: Nash Rawiller 59kg 211×3T: Chris Waller |
The Verry Elleegant Stakes (formerly Chipping Norton Stakes) is the opening Group 1 race of the annual Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and takes place at Royal Randwick Racecourse on the last Saturday in February or first in March.
One of two Group 1 races on the card after the recent upgrade to the Surround Stakes (1400m), the Verry Elleegant Stakes is run under weight-for-age conditions over a mile (1600m) and offers $1 million in total prize money as of 2024.
It was run as the Chipping Norton Stakes for the final time in 2023 before being renamed by the Australian Turf Club (ATC) ahead of the 2024 edition to honour Chris Waller’s dual champion of the event and subsequent Melbourne Cup star Verry Elleegant who passed away in February 2024.
The race has held Group 1 status since 1986 and was cut from 2000m to 1600m in 1980.
Multiple Chipping Norton Stakes winners are not uncommon with notable champions to take out the race more than once including 2021 Melbourne Cup champion Verry Elleegant (2021-22) who is now the event’s namesake, the world’s best mare Winx (2016-19), Shoot Out (2012-13), four-time winner Tie The Knot (1999-2002), and Super Impose (1991-92).
The traditional lead-up into the Verry Elleegant Stakes is via the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) held at Randwick Racecourse a fortnight before with the latest horses to do the Apollo – Chipping Norton Stakes double being Winx (2016 & 2017 & 2019) and Anamoe (2023) before the latter was renamed as the Verry Elleegant Stakes in 2024. Winx also saluted in her third Chipping Norton Stakes in 2018 first-up by seven lengths.
Autumn Glow (2026) was the last horse to complete the Apollo Stakes – Verry Elleegant Stakes double.
Trainer Chris Waller celebrated his ninth Chipping Norton Stakes success in 11 years with Verry Elleegant in 2021 who went on to win that year’s Melbourne Cup, his tenth in 12 years when Verry Elleegant returned to defend her title in 2022, and then he won the race for an 11th time in 2025 when Via Sistina led an all-Waller trifecta.
The ill-fated Verry Elleegant, a racing titan with 16 victories and an impressive 11 Group 1 titles across her 40-race career, retired with close to $14.9 million in prize money, placing her fourth on the all-time list, just behind stablemates Winx ($26.4m), Nature Strip ($20.7m), and the Snowden’s dual The Everest hero Redzel ($16.4m).
Her untimely death in February of 2024 when in foal makes for an emotional first edition of the race named in her honour.
Waller chased an 11th victory in 2024 but ultimately ran second with the beaten odds-on favourite Fangirl and third with Lindermann behind the Kerry Parker-trained winner Think It Over. He atoned the following year with Via Sistina defeating Fangirl, who ran second for the third time running in 2025, and the also Waller-trained Lindermann who ran third again.
Waller added to his elite record with the undefeated Autumn Glow handing him a 12th victory in 2026.
Verry Elleegant Stakes Race Info
- Former Race Name: Chipping Norton Stakes (renamed as the Verry Elleegant Stakes in 2024)
- Date: Saturday, February 28, 2026
- Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
- Distance: 1600m
- Conditions: Weight-for-age
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $1,000,000
- First Run: 1925
Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Betting
Verry Elleegant Stakes betting markets are usually dominated by horses coming out of the Apollo Stakes a fortnight earlier at Randwick.
Favourites in the Chipping Norton Stakes odds have a strong recent record with 12 wins in the 2013 – 2026 boosted by the four straight victories by the Chris Waller-trained superstar mare Winx (2016-19), the also Waller-trained Verry Elleegant ($2.30 in 2021 and $2.50 in 2022), the Godolphin-raced Anamoe ($1.60 in 2023), Waller’s Via Sistina ($1.60 in 2025), and the stable’s then undefeated mare Autumn Glow ($1.26 in 2026).
The Verry Elleegant Stakes odds are always affected by the barrier draw with gates 1 – 8 the most successful in the past two decades.
In 2024 Fangirl started odds-on at Verry Elleegant Stakes odds of $1.30 but could only manage to run second to Think It Over ($8.50).
Via Sistina then saluted for Waller in 2025 as the $1.60 odds-on favourite in Verry Elleegant Stakes betting, as did Autumn Glow at a very short $1.26 in 2026.
Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Field
The Verry Elleegant Stakes race field (formerly the Chipping Norton Stakes field) is made up of the season’s best weight-for-age hopefuls and milers and usually attracts graduates of the Apollo Stakes run two weeks prior.
Verry Elleegant Stakes nominations are taken in early February, about three weeks out from the race before final acceptances the Wednesday of race week.
While the field features a mix of male and female gallopers, four-time champion Winx (2016-19) became the first mare since Tuesday Joy (2009) to salute, while the event’s now namesake Verry Elleegant saluted in 2021 and 2022.
Via Sistina (2025) and Autumn Glow (2026) are the latest Verry Elleegant Stakes winning mares.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse always has a strong hand in the Chipping Norton Stakes field and has won the race six times most recently with Theseo (2010).
Waller however is the master trainer with preparing 12 of the 15 winners from 2011-2026 most recently in 2021 and 2022 with his Melbourne Cup hero Verry Elleegant who the event was renamed to honour in 2024, Via Sistina in 2025, and Autumn Glow in 2026.
In 2023 Waller missed out on yet another success with his mare Fangirl running second to the James Cummings-trained champion Anamoe.
Fangirl also finished second in the 2024 Verry Elleegant Stakes results as the beaten odds-on favourite, and second for the third time on the trot in 2025.
2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Field & Barrier Draw
The 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Field & Barrier Draw is set for release on the Wednesday of race week and will be published right here so stay tuned to see what WFA horses make the starting line-up.
The Verry Elleegant Stakes 2026 final field features nine weight-for-age stars with seven hailing from the Chris Waller stable including the undefeated favourite Autumn Glow.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Ceolwulf
J: Chad Schofield
T: Joseph Pride |
3611x6 | G | 2 | 59kg | |
|
2. Sir Delius
J: Craig Williams
T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
1x211x | H | 6 | 59kg | |
|
3. Lindermann
J: Nash Rawiller
T: Chris Waller |
1211x3 | G | 8 | 59kg | |
|
4. Wootton Verni
J: Adam Hyeronimus
T: Chris Waller |
5411x7 | G | 7 | 59kg | |
|
5. Soul Of Spain
J: Tommy Berry
T: Chris Waller |
1123x9 | G | 5 | 59kg | |
|
6. Valiant King
J: Sam Clipperton
T: Chris Waller |
x0130x | G | 9 | 59kg | |
|
7. Trinity College
J: Tim Clark
T: Chris Waller |
12412x | H | 4 | 58.5kg | |
|
8. Autumn Glow
J: James McDonald
T: Chris Waller |
1111x1 | M | 3 | 57kg | |
|
9. Aeliana
J: Zac Lloyd
T: Chris Waller |
2256x2 | M | 1 | 57kg |
2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Nominations
Nominations for the Verry Elleegant Stakes 2026 – renamed from the Chipping Norton Stakes in 2024 – are open until the Monday of race week.
2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes nominations extended until 11:00am (AEDT) – 24/02/2026
The Verry Elleegant Stakes 2026 nominations attracted a quality line-up of autumn WFA stars led in all-in betting by Chris Waller’s undefeated mare Autumn Glow chasing her 10th win from as many starts.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 421x2256x2 | AELIANA (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 2 | 1x1x1111x1 | AUTUMN GLOW | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 3 | 9x251768x4 | BIRDMAN (IRE) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 104 |
| 4 | 5x443611x6 | CEOLWULF (NZ) | G | 5 | Joseph Pride | 119 |
| 5 | 90x01211x3 | LINDERMANN | G | 6 | Chris Waller | |
| 6 | x28x1x211x | SIR DELIUS (GB) | H | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 117 |
| 7 | 31x11123x9 | SOUL OF SPAIN (IRE) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 102 |
| 8 | 8612x413x5 | STEFI MAGNETICA | M | 5 | Bjorn Baker | |
| 9 | 142x12412x | TRINITY COLLEGE (IRE) | H | 4 | Chris Waller | 103 |
| 10 | 0693x0130x | VALIANT KING (GB) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 102 |
| 11 | 75x85411x7 | WOOTTON VERNI (FR) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 104 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Form Guide
The Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) form guide is essential viewing by all smart punters as it shows the saddlecloth numbers, lead-up form, trainers, jockeys and barriers for all the runners in the field.
Based on the form placing a well-informed Verry Elleegant Stakes bet becomes easier and it is crucial to look at horses drawn inside the first eight barriers that come off solid lead-up form especially out of the Apollo Stakes.
Anamoe franked the Chipping Norton Stakes form with a next-up victory in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes and third in that year’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes results over ‘The Championships’.
The Chipping Norton form was further franked by the second placed mare Fangirl who was also runner-up in the George Ryder Stakes ahead of her big spring that included Group 1 wins in the Winx Stakes and $5 million King Charles III Stakes.
The 2024 Verry Elleegant Stakes form was franked with the runner-up Fangirl winning that year’s $1 million 7 Stakes in the spring.
The 2025 Verry Elleegant Stakes winner, Via Sistina, turned that victory into the launching pad for a huge autumn, going on to claim both the Ranvet Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes before returning in the spring to add three more Group 1 trophies — including the 2025 Cox Plate — to her résumé prior to retirement.
Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Form Facts
- Trainer Chris Waller prepared 12 of the 16 Chipping Norton Stakes winners from 2011 – 2026 including four-time hero Winx (2016-19), dual champion Verry Elleegant (2021-22), Via Sistina (2025), and Autumn Glow (2026).
- Te Akau Shark (12 of 13 in 2020) became the first winner since Kingston Bay (10 of 12 in 1993) to jump from wider than barrier eight.
- Favourites have dominated the Chipping Norton Stakes results in the past 30 years with Anamoe ($1.60 in 2023), Via Sistina ($1.60 in 2025) and Autumn Glow ($1.26 in 2026) the latest.
- The Apollo Stakes is the key Chipping Norton Stakes form race to follow producing 13 of the 16 winners from 2011 – 2026 most recently Anamoe (1st in 2023) who did the double, Think It Over (3rd in 2024), Via Sistina (3rd in 2025), and Autumn Glow (1st in 2026).
2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Verry Elleegant Stakes 2026 Form Guide will be provided below the week of the race.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 VERRY ELLEEGANT STAKES FORM GUIDE
Past Chipping Norton / Verry Elleegant Stakes Results
The Chipping Norton / Verry Elleegant Stakes race results and finishing order of the field is known when the race runs at Royal Randwick in late February or early March.
Punters can view that autumn’s Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) winner, see the winning exotics and pay-outs and check the winning time and margins. The Chipping Norton Stakes / Verry Elleegant Stakes results from the past decade have been dominated by the favourites and graduates out of the Apollo Stakes.
The most notable upset Chipping Norton Stakes result in recent history was the 80/1 shock win by three-year-old He’s No Pie Eater in 2007. No other three-year-old has led the Chipping Norton Stakes results since.
Key Chipping Norton Stakes winners before the event was renamed as the Verry Elleegant Stakes in 2024 include the four-time champions Tie The Knot (1999-2002), Winx (2016-19), and Anamoe (2023) who won the previous year’s Cox Plate.
Verry Elleegant (2022) was the last Chipping Norton Stakes winning mare.
Via Sistina (2025) was the first mare to win the renamed Verry Elleegant Stakes.
Autumn Glow (2026) was the last Verry Elleegant Stakes winning mare.
Winx holds the current Chipping Norton Stakes race record winning in 2019 in a time of 1 minute 33:27 seconds.
Recent Chipping Norton / Verry Elleegant Stakes Winners
Past Chipping Norton Stakes / Verry Elleegant Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Third | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Autumn Glow | Aeliana | Sir Delius | 1:35.55 |
| 2025 | Via Sistina | Fangirl | Lindermann | 1:33.62 |
| 2024 | Think It Over | Fangirl | Lindermann | 1:34.88 |
| 2023 | Anamoe | Fangirl | Mo’unga | 1:34.99 |
| 2022 | Verry Elleegant | She’s Ideel | Angel Of Truth | 1:39.64 |
| 2021 | Verry Elleegant | Colette | Avilius | 1:35.49 |
| 2020 | Te Akau Shark | Verry Elleegant | Fierce Impact | 1:33.87 |
| 2019 | Winx | Happy Clapper | Unforgotten | 1:33.27 |
| 2018 | Winx | Prized Icon | Classic Uniform | 1:34.92 |
| 2017 | Winx | Lasqueti Spirit | Who Shot Thebarman | 1:40.37 |
| 2016 | Winx | Dibayani | Hauraki | 1:33 |
| 2015 | Contributer | Hartnell | He’s Your Man | 1:36.5 |
| 2014 | Boban | It’s A Dundeel | Hawkspur | 1:38.2 |
| 2013 | Shoot Out | Monton | Danleigh | 1:35.8 |
| 2012 | Shoot Out | Danleigh | Trusting | 1:37.4 |
| 2011 | Danleigh | Centennial Park | Sacred Choice | 1:35.7 |
| 2010 | Theseo | Rangirangdoo | Danleigh | 1:37.4 |
| 2009 | Tuesday Joy | Vision And Power | Gallant Tess | 1:34.8 |
| 2008 | Casino Prince | Tuesday Joy | Sniper’s Bullet | 1:36.4 |
| 2007 | He’s No Pie Eater | Desert War | Mentality | 1:37.6 |
| 2006 | Desert War | Eremein | Ike’s Dream | 1:36.3 |
| 2005 | Grand Armee | Court’s In Session | Winning Belle | 1:35.4 |
| 2004 | Starcraft | Ambulance | Gentle Genius | 1:40.8 |
| 2003 | Lonhro | Shogun Lodge | Dress Circle | 1:37.9 |
| 2002 | Tie The Knot | Freemason | Universal Prince | 1:37.3 |
| 2001 | Tie The Knot | Dottoressa | Referral | 1:35.8 |
| 2000 | Tie The Knot | Adam | Staging | 1:37.7 |
FAQ
Who won the 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes?
The 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes was won by four-year-old The Autumn Sun mare Autumn Glow for her 10th win from as many starts with the undefeated champion securing her first Group 1 success as the $1.26 favourite for trainer Chris Waller with jockey James McDonald aboard on 57kg from barrier 3 to salute by 0.4 lengths on a Soft (5) track in a time of 1:35.55.
Who won the 2025 Verry Elleegant Stakes?
The 2025 Verry Elleegant Stakes was won by Via Sistina at $1.60 for trainer Chris Waller with jockey James McDonald aboard on 54kg from barrier 8 to win by 0.36 lengths in a time of 1:33.62.
When is the Verry Elleegant Stakes 2026?
Saturday, February 28, 2026What is the prize money for the Verry Elleegant Stakes 2026?
$1,000,000
Where is the Verry Elleegant Stakes 2026?
Randwick Racecourse, Alison Rd, Randwick NSW 2031.
How do I bet on the 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes?
Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android apps with Ladbrokes.
The first step is to create an account at ladbrokes.com.au. The process is quick and easy!
Once you've created your account you can make a deposit via credit card, or any other of our secure payment methods. Next up, head to the racing page and find the race and runner that's right for you.
Which horse will win the 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Verry Elleegant Stakes is to take into account the form, assess the barriers, and consider the weight the horse will carry (among other factors). Check out ladbrokes.com.au in the lead up to the race for full form information.