In the last 12 months, the Australian-based mare Verry Elleegant has won five Group 1 races, finished second in another, and was seventh in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup last November. She is rightfully the leading contender for Australia’s Horse of the Year for the 2020-21 season, an award that will be announced in October. Verry Elleegant begins her 2021-22 campaign in Saturday’s Group 1 Winx Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, a race she won in 2020. As of Thursday, Verry Elleegant was the 2-1 favorite in early betting in a field of 14 in the seven-furlong Winx. Trained by Chris Waller, 6-year-old Verry Elleegant has not scared away the competition, who rightfully may think she is more vulnerable at a shorter distance than her specialty of races at 1 1/4 miles and 1 1/2 miles. Conversely, Verry Elleegant’s backers only need to look back 12 months for confidence. In the 2020 Winx, Verry Elleegant came from 15th in a field of 16 to lead at the wire, winning by a nose. :: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing The Winx Stakes will be Verry Elleegant’s first start since a second by a half-length to the English shipper Addeybb in a thrilling running of the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a $3.09 million race at 1 1/4 miles at Randwick on April 17. In the $357,800 Winx, Verry Elleegant will be ridden by James McDonald, who has been aboard the New Zealand-bred mare in a majority of her races at Sydney area tracks in the last two years. Verry Elleegant drew post 5 and is one of five runners in the field trained by Waller, who also starts Hungry Heart, Imaging, Kolding, and Star of the Seas. Hungry Heart has not raced since a win in the Group 1 ATC Oaks at 1 1/2 miles at Randwick in April and is a stakes winner at a distance as short as 7 1/2 furlongs. Last year, Star of the Seas, Imaging, and Kolding were second, fourth, and 13th in the Winx. Kolding is rated as the best chance of those three this year. Kolding won the Group 1 All Aged Stakes at seven furlongs at Randwick in April and was fifth, beaten 1 1/2 lengths in the Group 2 Missile Stakes at six furlongs at Randwick in his comeback on Aug. 7. The Randwick program begins at 9:20 p.m. Eastern, or 6:20 p.m. Pacific, on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.