Members of the family made famous by Verry Elleegant set for features this weekend
Verry Elleegant is likely to forever be the highest-achieving descendant of Kiwi mare Opulence, but a couple of others will chase features of their own this weekend.
Belle Detelle, a three-quarter-sister in-blood to the 11-time Group 1 winner and 2020/21 Australian Horse of the Year, chases Group 1 glory in Saturday's Queensland Derby, while Verry Elleegant's brother Affluential will contest Sunday's $100,000 Australian Hurdle at Sandown.
The son of Zed and Opulence is chasing a second major jumps win, following last year's Grand National Hurdle, and second win in less than a week after flat success at Mornington on Monday.
But the days of connections dreaming about the six-year-old being a force in races his older sister won are long gone.
Belle Detelle, on the other hand, is a filly master trainer Chris Waller has always thought could be a staying force.
She is also by Zed, but out of Black Lace, who was the first foal from Opulence.
"We've always had a soft spot for her and we knew when we got her to 2000 metres she would start to excel because of that pedigree," Waller said earlier this year.
Belle Detelle justified Waller's belief when she won the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at her first start beyond 1600m.
She stepped out to the 2400m of the following week's ATC Oaks, but could manage only fifth placing after overracing in the slowly-run race, and rounded out Queensland Derby preparations with a sixth placing in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben on May 17.
Despite drawing the third-widest gate in Saturday's 2400m event, Belle Detelle has been heavily-supported since the field was finalised on Tuesday and is now challenging Statuario for favouritism.
The Derby will be just the eighth start of a career that started with a second placing in a 1300m Seymour maiden last December, giving Waller cause to think her best will come in seasons to follow.
Verry Elleegant won two Group 1s as a three-year-old – the Vinery Stud Stakes and ATC Oaks – but won her Caulfield Cup as a five-year-old and was six when she produced one of the most dominant Melbourne Cup performances of the modern era.
Belle Detelle is Black Lace's only product who was conceived in New Zealand and since taking up residence at Arrowfield Stud in Australia, she had colts by Dundeel in 2022 and last year.
Opulence died in 2022 and had two named-foals since Affluential, both by Zed who are also in the care of Chris Waller.
Three-year-old gelding So Suave is unplaced after three runs, but gets out to 2000m for the first time in a Kembla Grange maiden this Tuesday, while two-year-old filly Verry Stella is nearing her debut after two Rosehill trials during May.
As with all runners, the progeny report and siblings stats for Opulence, Black Lace and all the family members who have raced are available via the Racing And Sports detailed form pages.
