Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2021: runner by runner guide and tip

Welcome to our Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2021 runner-by-runner guide and tips. The 2000-metre weight-for-age race will take place on Saturday, April 17 at Randwick racecourse.

The group 1 is the feature event on the second day of Sydney’s The Championships, a day on which there will be four group 1 races contested. The other three are the Australian Oaks, Sydney Cup and Queen of the Turf Stakes.

About the Queen Elizabeth Stakes

This is Sydney’s premier wfa race and has designs on usurping the Cox Plate’s status as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia. It has some way to go but is a race that was first run in 1851 as the Queen’s Plate and has a wonderful honour roll. In recent times, the mighty Winx won it three times in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

With $4 million in prizemoney as of 2014 it is among the richest races in Australia and the richest prize in the Sydney autumn carnival. It is run at Royal Randwick over 2000 metres and was branded the Queen Elizabeth Stakes to mark the visit of that monarch to Australia in 1954.

Last year it was taken out by Addeybb, which is among the favourites this year.

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What horse will win the 2021 Queen Elizabeth Stakes?

Bookies see the 2021 edition on Saturday, April 17, as a virtual match race between last year’s winner Addeybb and the outstanding mare Verry Elleegant. They look likely to fight it out but we have run the rule over the small but elite field and assessed the chances of the seven runners.

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1. Addeybb
   (Trainer: W J Haggas. Jockey: Tom Marquand. Barrier: 3. Weight: 59kg).

What the World Gambling List says: Back to defend his title and looks likely to set the tempo in this field. Addeybb has an outstanding record with 11 wins from 21 starts and holds a 2-1 head to head record over Verry Elleegant. The mare was a worthy winner in their meeting in the group 1 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill recently but this grand galloper should be better for the outing. The blinkers on for the first time could also help and he loses nothing with Tom Marquand doing the steering. Will run a mighty race.
UniBet odds: $3.10

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2. Sir Dragonet
   (Trainer: C Maher & D Eustace. Jockey: Glen Boss. Barrier: 2. Weight: 59kg).

What the World Gambling List says: The 2020 Cox Plate winner and was fourth behind Verry Elleegant in the Ranvet before winning the group 1 Tancred Stakes over 2400m. Looks a notch below the big two over 2400m but he is a classy galloper, and with only 15 starts under his belt he could still go to a new level.
UniBet odds: $6.50

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3. Mugatoo
   (Trainer: K A Lees. Jockey: Hugh Bowman. Barrier: 1. Weight: 59kg).

What the World Gambling List says: Brings a different formline to the race, having won the All Star Mile at Moonee Valley and then run fourth in Doncaster Handicap, also over a mile, at this track in the lead-up. Should be right at his peak now but he is as yet unproven at this elite level.
UniBet odds: $7.50

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4. Think It Over
   (Trainer: K J Parker. Jockey: Brenton Avdulla. Barrier: 5. Weight: 59kg).

What the World Gambling List says: This Kembla Grange-trained gelding has gone to a whole new level this campaign, winning first-up at $51, before a second in the group 2 Ajax Stakes and then a win in the group 1 George Ryder Stakes again at a health $26. We wish we had have jumped on board this galloper before his latest campaign started! He has not been tested against this calibre of horse and might not be quite up to some of these.
UniBet odds: $21

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5. Samadoubt

SCRATCHED

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6. Dalasan
   (Trainer: L Macdonald & A Gluyas. Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy. Barrier: 8. Weight: 59kg).

What the World Gambling List says: Smart stallion who ran a cracking third in the Doncaster Handicap last Saturday. Has form around the now retired Russian Camelot but galloper was a class above him and he is unlikely to be good enough to go with this field in the last couple of hundred metres. Not today.
UniBet odds: $34

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7. Verry Elleegant
   (Trainer: C J Waller. Jockey: James Mcdonald. Barrier: 4. Weight: 57kg).

What the World Gambling List says: Champion mare who is the next best thing to Winx coming from the Waller stable. While it’s unfair to compare the racetrack phenom that was Winx, Verry Elleegant is building an incredible record of her own. She has won 13 of 28 starts and almost $8 million in prizemoney; eight of those wins have come at group 1 level. She has one of the world’s best jockeys in James McDonald in the saddle and it would be a big shock if she did not finish in the first two.
UniBet odds: $2.40

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8. Mo’unga
   (Trainer: Annabel Neasham. Jockey: Tommy Berry. Barrier: 7. Weight: 55.5kg).

What the World Gambling List says: Outstanding three-year-old which won the recent Rosehill Guineas at group 1 level. Has had only eight starts for four wins but is aiming high here. Should run a nice race but does not yet seem to have the season to beat the best horses in the land.
UniBet odds: $18

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Our final Queen Elizabeth Stakes top four

ADDEYBB 1; Verry Elleegant 2; Mugatoo 3; Sir Dragonet 4.

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Recent winners of Queen Elizabeth Stakes

2020 Addeybb
2019 Winx
2018 Winx
2017 Winx
2016 Lucia Valentina
2015 Criterion
2014 It’s A Dundeel
2013 Reliable Man
2012 More Joyous
2011 My Kingdom of Fife

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