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Waller Verry overwhelmed by Cup win

2 November 2021 Written by Andrew Eddy

Chris Waller was at home in Sydney with his family when Verry Elleegant burst clear to record an unforgettable Lexus Melbourne Cup triumph on Tuesday, and yes, just like when he is trackside for big racing moments, the enormity of his achievement overwhelmed him.

"When she crossed the line, I was very emotional," Waller said half an hour after the race.

"I really wanted to be there to share it with the staff and those who have worked so hard, but to watch it with my family made it very, very special."

Waller watched the race with wife Stephanie and children Tyler and Nikita.

It was Waller's first Melbourne Cup win, which was 12 months and 17 days after Verry Elleegant won him his first Caulfield Cup. She's now claimed 10 Group 1 races and under any other circumstances would go down as the trainer's most-celebrated mare.

But that is never going to happen when you've trained a mare like 25-time G1 winner and four-time Cox Plate champion Winx.

"It makes it pretty special to have another mare like this one. So brave, so determined and so good," he said.

"We've had some great wins and important wins and this is certainly one of them.

"It's going to take a while to sink in. At the moment it just sits as a moment to remember as a proud horse trainer.

"It's the Melbourne Cup, so it's very special and just the way she won it. She dropped on them and showed her class.

"She was the class of the race and she showed that with that finish that I'll never forget."