Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes)

Looking for this year’s Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) betting guide, odds and tips? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know before this year’s race.

Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) 2026 Results

The official 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes results will be available below once the race – previously known as the Chipping Norton Stakes – takes place on Saturday, February 28, 2026. 

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.

Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) 2026 Tips

Our insider 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes tips will be detailed here the week of the race and a full betting preview published on the Neds Blog.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE 2026 VERRY ELLEEGANT STAKES DAY PREVIEW & TIPS

Run over 1,600 metres in either late February or early March during the popular Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, the Verry Elleegant Stakes (formerly Chipping Norton Stakes) is a Group 1 weight-for-age feature offering $1 million in prize money as of 2024.  

The Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m), taking place two weeks earlier at the same racetrack, is the key lead-up into the Chipping Norton Stakes that runs as the Verry Elleegant Stakes from 2024 onwards. Champion mare Winx completed the Apollo – Chipping Norton Stakes double three times in 2016, 2017 and 2019. She also won the third of her four Chipping Norton Stakes trophies in 2018 without an Apollo lead-up. 

Anamoe (2023), winner of the previous year’s Cox Plate, was the last horse to complete the Apollo Stakes – Chipping Norton Stakes double before the latter was renamed the Verry Elleegant Stakes the following year.

The Apollo Stakes – Verry Elleegant Stakes double was last achieved by the then undefeated mare Autumn Glow (2026).

The Verry Elleegant Stakes winner also earns a ballot exemption into both the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) and the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) held later during the carnival as part of April’s ‘The Championships’. 

In 2022 trainer Chris Waller prepared his tenth Chipping Norton Stakes winner in 12 years with the success of his 2021 Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant – the race’s namesake as of 2024 – who successfully defended her title.

Verry Elleegant sadly passed away in foal for the first time in February of 2024 only a short time before the inaugural running of the renamed event in her honour.

The 2023 Chipping Norton Stakes winner Anamoe franked the form with a next-up win in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes and third in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes results.

In 2024 Waller was denied an emotional 11th victory in the renamed Verry Elleegant Stakes with Fangirl second in the race for the second straight year this time as the beaten odds-on favourite behind Think It Over.

Waller returned in 2025 to celebrate his 11th success with Via Sistina defeating Fangirl (2nd) and Lindermann (3rd) in a trifecta for the stable.

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.

Waller took his incredible record in the event up to 12 victories with Autumn Glow in 2026 who defeated her stablemate Aeliana.

Verry Elleegant Stakes 2026 – Quick Information

• Former Race Name: Chipping Norton Stakes (1925 – 2023)
• Current Race Name: Verry Elleegant Stakes (2024 – onwards)
• Race Day: Saturday, February 28, 2026
• Track Location: Randwick Racecourse
• Track Surface: Turf
• Track Direction: Right-handed
• Race Distance: 1,600 metres
• Weight Conditions: Weight for age
• Qualification: Three years and over
• Type: Thoroughbred
• Grade: Group 1
• Operator: Australian Turf Club
• Prize Purse: $1,000,000
• Inaugural Race: 1925
• 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes Winner: Autumn Glow

Chipping Norton Stakes Betting 2026

There are many different ways to bet on the Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes), and we have included some of the most popular options below:

Bet Type	How To Place This Type of Bet on This Year’s Chipping Norton Stakes
Win Bet	Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s Chipping Norton Stakes.
Place Bet	Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s Chipping Norton Stakes. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds.
Each-Way Bet	If your runner finishes 1st in the Chipping Norton Stakes, you will collect both the Win and the Place dividend. If your horse finishes 2nd or 3rd you will collect the Place dividend.
Quinella Bet	You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in any order, within the Chipping Norton Stakes, in order to win the Quinella.
Exacta Bet	You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order, within the Chipping Norton Stakes to win the Exacta.
Trifecta Bet	You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within the Chipping Norton Stakes to win the Trifecta.
First Four	You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd ,3rd and 4th in the correct order, within the Chipping Norton Stakes to win the First 4.
Quadrella Bet (Quaddie)	You must select the winners of four nominated races to win the Quaddie. This means you would have to select three other races apart from the Chipping Norton Stakes, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie.

How To Bet on the Verry Elleegant Stakes in 2026

1. Log in at neds.com.au
2. Make a deposit, using your credit card, PayPal or other safe electronic method
3. Make sure to check out form guide, once it’s released
4. Decide what kind of bet you’re going to place (Win, Place, Each-Way, Trifecta + more betting options, please read our section on Verry Elleegant Stakes Betting above).
5. Select the horse(s) for the race.

Which Horse Will Win the Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes)?

The best way to pick which horse will win the Verry Elleegant Stakes in 2026 is to take into account their lead-up autumn racing form, assess the barriers and look for proven Group 1 performers over the distance. 

Additional factors to consider when picking the Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) winner include:

• Waller Factor: From 2011 – 2026 trainer Chris Waller prepared 12 of the 16 winners including four-time hero Winx (2016-19), back-to-back wins Verry Elleegant (2021-22), Via Sistina (2025), and most recently Autumn Glow (2026) so watching for Waller-trained entries is key. Waller also ran second in 2023 with his mare Fangirl runner-up to the James Cummings-trained winner Anamoe. Fangirl was second again in 2024 with Waller also running third that year with Lindermann. Fangirl and Lindermann ran the same placings (2nd and 3rd respectively) behind their stablemate Via Sistina in 2025.
• Apollo Lead-Up: The Apollo Stakes has produced more Chipping Norton Stakes winners than any other lead-up and the double is a popular betting option for punters each autumn. Anamoe (2023) and Autumn Glow (2026) are the latest to do the double.

Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Favourites 2026

Favourites in 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes betting include Golden Eagle winning mare Autumn Glow out to add to trainer Chris Waller’s outstanding record in the race, last year’s Underwood Stakes – Turnbull Stakes double winner Sir Delius, and Joe Pride’s nearly $11 million earner Ceolwulf.

From 2013-2026 12 of the 14 Chipping Norton Stakes favourites saluted for the punters.

Te Akau Shark ($2.80 in 2020)m Verry Elleegant ($2.30 in 2021 and $2.50 in 2022), Anamoe ($1.60 in 2023), Via Sistina ($1.60 in 2025), and Autumn Glow ($1.26 in 2026) are the latest Verry Elleegant Stakes favourites to win.

Fangirl was odds-on in Verry Elleegant Stakes betting in 2024 at $1.30 but only managed to run second behind $8.50 pop Think It Over.

Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) 2026 Field

The official 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes field of final acceptances on the event formerly known as the Chipping Norton Stakes is set for release on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in full below once available. 

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.

Randwick R8 - Tab Verry Elleegant Stakes (G1)

Final Race time: 

	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

View Results

Verry Elleegant Stakes Race Day 2026

2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes Day) takes place at Royal Randwick on Saturday, February 28, 2026.

Along with the recently renamed Verry Elleegant Stakes, which is the marquee event on the card, the other key races at the meeting include the:

• Group 1 $750,000 Surround Stakes (1400m),
• Group 2 $300,000 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m),
• Group 2 $300,000 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m),
• Group 2 $300,000 Skyline Stakes (1200m), and the
• Group 3 $250,000 Liverpool City Cup (1300m).

Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Barrier Draw 2026

The 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) barrier draw will be released to the public a few days before the race and published in our above Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Field section. 

Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Nominations 2026

2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) nominations close at on the Monday of race week and will be published in full below. 

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) Weights 2026

Standard weight for age conditions apply to this race. Final 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes weights are announced at 4:00 PM on the Tuesday of race week with weights on the final acceptors to be published in our above Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Field section. 

Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Acceptances 2026

Final 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes acceptances must be declared before the Wednesday of race week and will be published in our above Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Field section. 

Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Jockeys 2026

The final riders must be announced by the Wednesday of race week with the official 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes jockeys to be published in our above Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Field section. 

Verry Elleegant Stakes Scratchings 2026

2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Saturday, February 28, 2026.

Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Prize Money 2026

The 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes prize purse is worth $1,000,000 in total, distributed from places first through to tenth.

Place	Prize Money
1st	$580,000
2nd	$190,000
3rd	$96,000
4th	$42,000
5th	$21,000
6th	$10,000
7th	$10,000
8th	$10,000
9th	$8,000
10th	$8,000

Verry Elleegant Stakes Race Number 2026

The 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes race number is scheduled as Randwick Race 8 at 4:40pm (AEDT) on Saturday, February 28, 2026. There are ten races in total that day at Randwick Racecourse.

Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Form Guide 2026

The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below for a link to our full 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes Form Guide following final acceptances. 

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 VERRY ELLEEGANT STAKES FORM GUIDE

Verry Elleegant Stakes (Chipping Norton Stakes) Live 2026

You can watch or listen to the 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes live, across the following mediums.

Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)

Radio: Radio Sport National

Streaming: Racing NSW

Chipping Norton Stakes / Verry Elleegant Stakes Winners

Winners of the Chipping Norton Stakes / Verry Elleegant Stakes going back to 1983 are displayed in the table below. If you would like to see results going back to 1983, please check our Verry Elleegant Stakes winners’ page.

Year	Winner	Trainer/s	Jockey	Weight	Time
2026	Autumn Glow	Chris Waller	James McDonald	57 kgs	1:35.55
2025	Via Sistina	Chris Waller	James McDonald	57 kgs	1:33.62
2024	Think It Over	Kerry Parker	Nash Rawiller	59 kgs	1:34.88
2023	Anamoe	James Cummings	James McDonald	59 kgs	1:34.99
2022	Verry Elleegant	Chris Waller	James McDonald	57 kgs	1:39.64
2021	Verry Elleegant	Chris Waller	James McDonald	57 kgs	1:35.49
2020	Te Akau Shark	Jamie Richards	Opie Bosson	59 kgs	1:33.87
2019	Winx	Chris Waller	Hugh Bowman	57 kgs	1:33.27
2018	Winx	Chris Waller	Hugh Bowman	57 kgs	1:34.92
2017	Winx	Chris Waller	Hugh Bowman	57 kgs	1:40.37
2016	Winx	Chris Waller	Hugh Bowman	57 kgs	1:33.92
2015	Contributer	John O’shea	James McDonald	59 kgs	1:36.54
2014	Boban	Chris Waller	Glyn Schofield	59 kgs	1:38.19
2013	Shoot Out	Chris Waller	Hugh Bowman	59 kgs	1:35.80
2012	Shoot Out	Chris Waller	Hugh Bowman	59 kgs	1:37.40
2011	Danleigh	Chris Waller	Hugh Bowman	59 kgs	1:35.77
2010	Theseo	Gai Waterhouse	Nash Rawiller	59 kgs	1:37.45
2009	Tuesday Joy	Gai Waterhouse	Corey Brown	57 kgs	1:34.80
2008	Casino Prince	Anthony Cummings	D Oliver	59 kgs	1:36.44
2007	He’s No Pie Eater	Graeme Rogerson	Z Purton	56 kgs	1:37.68
2006	Desert War	Gai Waterhouse	L V Cassidy	58 kgs	1:36.39
2005	Grand Armee	Gai Waterhouse	D R Beasley	58 kgs	1:35.45
2004	Starcraft	Garry Newham	G Boss	55 kgs	1:40.84
2003	Lonhro	J R Hawkes	D Beadman	58 kgs	1:37.93
2002	Tie The Knot	G H Walter	P Payne	58 kgs	1:37.33
2001	Tie The Knot	G H Walter	P Payne	58 kgs	1:35.88
2000	Tie The Knot	G H Walter	R S Dye	58 kgs	1:37.79
1999	Tie The Knot	G H Walter	R S Dye	58 kgs	1:37.46
1998	Encounter	Clarry Conners	R S Dye	53 kgs	1:36.70
1997	Octagonal	J R Hawkes	R S Dye	57 kgs	1:36.33
1996	Juggler	Gai Waterhouse	L V Cassidy	57 kgs	1:36.17
1995	Pharaoh	Gai Waterhouse	G Eades	57.5 kgs	1:38.26
1994	Telesto	Grahame Begg	G Boss	57 kgs	1:36.40
1993	Kingston Bay	Bruce Wallace	A Kennedy	53 kgs	1:36.30
1992	Super Impose	D L Freedman	D Beadman	57.5 kgs	1:35.00
1991	Super Impose	D L Freedman	D Beadman	57.5 kgs	1:36.00
1990	Dr. Grace	Dr G Chapman	J A Cassidy	53 kgs	1:37.20
1989	Flotilla	J Denham	Mick Dittman	57 kgs	1:35.30
1988	Wong	V P Sutherland	P Sylvester	57.5 kgs	1:35.00
1987	Our Waverley Star	D J O’sullivan	L A O’sullivan	57 kgs	1:35.10
1986	Heat Of The Moment	N C Begg	D Beadman	51 kgs	1:34.80
1985	Rising Prince	Ms D Stein	K Langby	57 kgs	1:36.30
1984	Emancipation	N C Begg	R Quinton	55.5 kgs	1:35.70
1983	Dalmacia	N C Begg	R Quinton	57 kgs	1:39.80