After Thursday's announcement that G1 Melbourne Cup heroine Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) would be trained in the Northern Hemisphere by Francis-Henri Graffard, the original ownership in the star mare have announced that they will sell their 20% stake.
“We're not happy and we will be looking to sell out of the mare unfortunately,” co-owner Nick Bishara told Racing.com on Friday morning.
“The Ellee syndicate was never in favour of going to Europe, basically on the back of what Chris [Waller] felt–that she's probably got one more prep in her and to go half way around the world might be a risk if she doesn't come up.
“The 80% of the syndicate wanted to go but the 20% [Ellee] of the syndicate didn't want to go. Don [Goodwin] bred her and we originally had her. We wanted to put the horse first. Chris Waller is a Hall Of Fame trainer and we were happy to go with what he thought.”
The 11-time Group 1 winner will shortly join Graffard in France and be prepped for an autumn campaign in France and England, with an eye to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
“She's not a great traveller,” he added. “Even from Sydney to Melbourne she's not fantastic so we just think the risk is too much.
“We are disappointed but also grateful for such a wonderful ride with a lot of people associated with her and of course, the Waller team who have done a fantastic job.
“Chris always puts his horses first and we've always been guided by him and I would have left everything in his hands but that's not the way it's turned out.”
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