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News.com.au
23-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
THE LAST SAY: Tips, inside mail and track conditions for today's racing on 2025 Doomben Cup Day
Pride Of Jenni is poised to become the first reigning Horse of the Year to win the Group 1 $1 million Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben today. The great Might And Power did win the 1998 Doomben Cup the same season he won his first Horse of the Year title. He retained the title in 1998-99. But Pride Of Jenni, the Ciaron Maher -trained mare who shares an exciting frontrunning style with Might And Power, is the $3.40 favourite to win her first Group 1 this season, the fourth of her career, and to take her earnings to past the $11 million prizemoney barrier. Pride Of Jenni has won two of her three starts this campaign including the Anniversary Vase under 61kg at Caulfield last start. Jockey Craig Newitt will send Pride Of Jenni to the front early and try to dictate terms. If the mare gets any sort of control up front, she will be very difficult to run down. The Doomben meeting features six stakes races including the Group 3 $300,000 BRC Sprint (1300m) in which Willaidow will be attempting to do his own 'Pride Of Jenni impersonation' from the front. At Royal Randwick, the 10-race program is going ahead on a very heavy track surface after Sydney and much of the NSW coastline has endured a week-long deluge with record flood levels in some areas of the state. There are no stakes races but Chris Waller 's tough mare Ahuriri could earn a trip to Brisbane if she maintains winning form, while the consistent Cool Jakey is striving to stretch his brilliance over the famous Randwick mile course. The nine-race Sandown Hillside meeting features the emerging Changing Colours who is set to put behind her an exasperating run of minor placings. Sydney sprinter Accredited has also gone to Melbourne in search of a drier track surface. Murray Bridge is hosting the main South Australian meeting while the NSW's big wet has resulted in the Newcastle provincial meeting being moved to Monday, with Nowra races scheduled for Sunday abandoned. â– â– â– â– â– ROYAL RANDWICK Weather: Mild, sunny day and a forecast top temperature of 22c. Track: Heavy (9). Rail: 10m out 1600m to the winning post. DOOMBEN Weather: Mild, sunny day and a forecast top temperature of 25c. Track: Soft (5). Rail: 2m out. SANDOWN Weather: Cool, partly cloudy day with showers clearing and a forecast top temperature of 19c. Track: Soft (5). Rail: 3m out. MURRAY BRIDGE Weather: Mild, cloudy day with some showers developing mainly in the afternoon and a forecast top temperature of 21c. Track: Good (4). Rail: 3m out from 1200m chute, true remainder. • BIG BETS: The key betting moves right around the country today â– â– â– â– â– BE WARY Randwick has been hit with more than 180mls of rain this week, including nearly 80mls in a 24-hour period to early Friday. Remarkably, despite the deluge Randwick has been rated a heavy 9 for today's meeting, with fine weather predicted. The rail is out 10m so expect jockeys to steer wide in the straight looking for better going. Doomben's track surface is a soft 5 but improving and should get back into the good range for the Doomben Cup meeting. Watch the early races to determine if there is any track bias. Sandown has tipped into the soft 5 range after some overnight showers. Racing NSW has announced a substantial emergency financial assistance package totalling $650,000 to assist those trainers, jockeys and owners in flood-ravaged regions of the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers. Story: @RayThomas_1 ðŸ'‡ — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) May 22, 2025 â– â– â– â– â– ROYAL RANDWICK TIPS BEST BET: Race 5 No.7 AHURIRI finished powerfully wide out to win second-up at Canterbury over 1900m on a heavy track. She's a handy mare with good wet track form and getting out to 2400m is her distance range. She's a tough stayer who won the VRC St Leger over 2800m last year. Ahuriri should be at her peak after recent racing and is the one to beat. Ah, hooray for Ahuriri! She wins the TAB Handicap second up at Canterbury with @nashhot in the saddle for @cwallerracing 🙌 @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 30, 2025 THE NEXT BEST: Race 8 No.3 GREEN FLY demonstrated his talent with a barnstorming first-up win at Rosehill last month when he came from a seemingly impossible position to collar Cool Jakey near the line. The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Green Fly has only had once start since and got a long way back early before running on for fifth to stablemate Punch Lane over 1500m at Randwick. Green Fly gets out to the Randwick mile which should suit and he gets his preferred heavy track conditions. If he gets clear galloping room from the turn, he will be very hard to hold out. ðŸ'š Green Fly from nowhere nabs Cool Jakey right on the line to give @LaneDamian a Rosehill double! @FreedmanRacing | @OTIRacing | @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 1, 2025 VALUE BET: Race 3 No.1 MY LAST HOORAY was a heavy track winner at Goulburn earlier in his career when the track was bottomless. He's had three runs back this campaign, racing well each time, including his last start effort when he finished strongly for a close third at Warwick Farm. The underrated My Last Hooray has topweight for the Highway but gets the benefit of the apprentice's 3kg claim, he handles wet tracks and is terrific value around $18. 'WHAT ELSE AM I GOING TO DO?' Frank Cleary, the racehorse trainer who can't retire, often finds himself reminiscing about what might have been during State of Origin time. Story: @RayThomas_1 ðŸ'‡ — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) May 22, 2025 THE WHISPER: Race 1 No.5 AGARWOOD, a well-bred daughter of Coolmore's boom sire Wootton Bassett, created a huge impression winning on debut at Warwick Farm earlier this month. She showed tactical speed to take up a position then accelerated clear to win by a widening margin. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott -trained Agarwood ran the 1000m in 57.56s, which was a smart gallop considering the soft 6 track rating, and she sprinted her final 600m in 33.97s with a closing 200m split in 11.54s. Agarwood's overall winning time and her sectionals were faster than what today's rival REGULATED AFFAIR (2) recorded winning his juvenile division the same day. Agarwood has drawn a little awkwardly but bank on her early speed to get across and then her strength at the finish. A very nice win to Agarwood at Warwick Farm! ðŸ'¥ @clarkyhk | @GaiWaterhouse1 | @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 7, 2025 â– â– â– â– â– DOOMBEN TIPS BEST BET: Race 3 No.1 SUNRAYS won her first three starts, all at Doomben, over the 1110m course before she chased home the brilliant Beadman when second in the Ken Russell Memorial. Sunrays bumped into a real talent last start and may not have been suited by the heavy track but still tried hard to finish second. She is going out to 1350m but is well suited at level weight. Back her with confidence. ☀ï¸� Sunrays makes it two from two and wins the first at Doomben for @CejayGraham1 and @schweidaracing! @BrisRacingClub — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 8, 2025 NEXT BEST: Race 8 No.12 PRIDE OF JENNI is the reigning Horse of the Year and she has recaptured some of her best form since making a comeback earlier this autumn. She was dominant winning the Peter Young Stakes first-up, had legitimate excuses for her Australian Cup loss, but cruised home under 61kg in the Anniversary Vase. Pride Of Jenni is back to weight-for-age, looks likely to get complete control up front and in this circumstance she is very tough to run down. Pride Of Jenni returns with a bang at Caulfield as she goes all the way to take out the Listed Anniversary Vase 🙌 @cmaherracing @craig_newitt â€' (@Racing) May 3, 2025 VALUE BET: Race 9 No.7 WILLAIDOW is flying under the radar going into the BRC Sprint. He has the early speed to negate his wide draw to cross and either lead or settle on speed in a controlling position where he is tough to run down. He's got a good fresh record and goes to Doomben off a solid trial effort at Rosehill. The $21 being bet about him is hard to resist. Willaidow digs deep to win the Southern Cross Stakes in a photo! ðŸ'¸ @G1TySchil @ConnersMarc — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 1, 2025 THE WHISPER: Race 7 No.6 PHILIA has reeled off three impressive wins from as many starts this campaign including her Princess Stakes effort when she scored with authority. Promising filly who makes her own luck racing on speed. Philia has had a month between runs and has to step up to 2000m but she's trained by the astute David Vandyke, she ran out 1600m very strongly last start and can continue in her rich vein of form. Philia dominates Race 7 at Eagle Farm for @vandykeracing13! @KPMcEvoy — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 26, 2025 â– â– â– â– â– TAB FIXED ODDS BIG BETS, MARKET MOVERS ROYAL RANDWICK Race 1: Agarwood $4.20-$2.50 Race 2: Strawberry Impact $11-$8 Race 3: So You Pence $2.70-$2.30, Shropshire Lad $6-$4.80 Race 4: Hurstville Zagreb $5.50-$4.20, She's A Dealer $7.50-$6.50 Race 5: Ahuriri $4.20-$3.70 Race 6: Grand Larceny $5-$4.80, Epic Proportion $9-$6.50, Power Of The Brave $11-$7.50 Race 7: Zaphod $4.20-$3.90, Quantum Cat $11-$5, Collect Your Cash $6-$5.50 ($2000 at $6), Miracle Spin $15-$9 Race 8: Cool Jakey $3.60-$2.80, Green Fly $5-$4.80 ($2500 at $4.60) Race 9: King Of Roseau $4.40-$4.20, Spione $6-$4.20, Boltsaver $11-$7.50 Race 10: She's Unusual $6-$4.80 â– â– â– â– â– LADBROKES BIG BETS, MARKET MOVERS ROYAL RANDWICK Race 1: Agarwood $3.60-$2.50, Swift Legend $61-$126-$46 Race 2: No significant bets or market moves Race 3: A Pound Of Salt $17-$11, Plenitude $18-$14 Race 4: She's A Dealer $11-$6.50 Race 5: All Hunky Dory $21-$9.50 Race 6: Power Of The Brave $14-$7, Miss Jennifer $18-$19-$14 Race 7: Miracle Spin $12-$9, Quantum Cat $9.50-$4.40 Race 8: Diablo Bolt $16-$18-$13 Race 9: Margie's Boy $23-$16, Spione $6-$7-$3.70 Race 10: Hellbent On You $13-$14-$9.50, Cosy Corner $61-$71-$27 DOOMBEN Race 1: Brereton $8.50-$5.50, Bews $14-$7.50, Sicilian $10-$11-$6.50 Race 2: The Inflictor $5.50-$4.20 Race 3: Sunrays $3.40-$2.30 with bets of $1000 at $3.25, $2000 at $2.35 Race 4: Manhood $8.50-$9-$6 Race 5: She's Ours $27-$19 Race 6: Vivy Air $5.50-$3.70 Race 7: Movin' Out $13-$16-$9, Philia $7.50-$4.60 including a bet of $970 at $4.85, Bella Montagna $23-$11 Race 8: Lindermann $12-$9, My Oberon $31-$17, Kovalica $13-$10, Osipenko $26-$16, Pride Of Jenni $4.40 to $3.80 with bets of $2000 at $4.40, $1800 at $3.80, Antino $3.75 to $3.85 with bets of $2000 at $3.75 twice, $1400 at $3.85 Race 9: War Machine $4.20- $4.40-$3.70 SANDOWN Race 1: Miss Ole $3.60-$3.20 Race 2: Loosesomewinmore $3.90-$-$2.80 Race 3: Terilee $8-$8.50-$6.50, Ahha Ahha $6.50-$3.80, Legacy Bay $13-$20-$12 Race 4: Didn't Miss Many $14-$10, Shockletz $20-$11 Race 5: Changing Colours $3.40-$3.10 Race 6: Air Assault $5-$3.40 Race 7: Euphoric $17-$19-$13, Ruakaka Raider $8.50-$12-$7 Race 8: Accredited $4.80-$5-$4.20 with bets of $1000 at $5.15, $1000 at $4.80, The Open $8-$11-$8 Race 9: Sunshineinmypocket $6-$6.50-$4.20, Oh Too Good $4.20-$4.40-$3.90 with bets of $2,000 at $3.90 MARKET MOVERS: Big move for former Kiwi A three-year-old filly in the care of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott has been well fancied ahead of the Group 2 The Roses at Doomben on Saturday ðŸ'‡ What's gambling really costing you? — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) May 23, 2025 â– â– â– â– â–
News.com.au
18-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
'Her best is good enough to beat anyone': Jockey Craig Newitt eyes Group 1 glory with Pride Of Jenni
Jockey Craig Newitt has personal and professional motivations to toast Group 1 success on Saturday in the Doomben Cup aboard favourite Pride Of Jenni. Personally, Newitt, one of the hardest working riders in Victoria, is hungry to build on an enviable Group 1 tally while professionally, he wants to get Pride Of Jenni back to where she belongs. Newitt crammed 33 Group 1 wins in a decade from 2006 but has gone without since he partnered boom colt-turned-stallion Extreme Choice to victory in the 2016 Moir Stakes. The 40-year-old father of five has the best chance in a long time to end the drought in Brisbane. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'This is what we do it for,' Newitt said. 'To try and find these sort of horses, she did it at her peak without me riding her but they never lose their ability, she's a little bit older now, but I still firmly believe she can (still) win Group 1 races. 'It's been nearly nine years since my last Group 1, hopefully she can deliver one on Saturday.' Pride Of Jenni is a $3.50 favourite in all-in markets to win the Doomben Cup from Antino ($4), Buckaroo ($6) and Fawkner Park ($8). Newitt has piloted Pride Of Jenni to victory in two of three starts since her comeback in March after being retired last spring following a setback. Pride Of Jenni returns with a bang at Caulfield as she goes all the way to take out the Listed Anniversary Vase 🙌 @cmaherracing @craig_newitt â€' (@Racing) May 3, 2025 • Gilbert Gardiner's horses to follow, forgive from Flemington on Saturday His big race experience and craft on leaders like Pride Of Jenni central to the new association. Jockey Declan Bates rode Pride Of Jenni exclusively since she burst onto the scene in the 2023 Melbourne Cup Carnival with successive Group 1 wins in the Empire Rose and Champions Mile. Ben Melham replaced Bates for the Champion Mile last year and pulled up the mare after she bled. Newitt had ridden Pride Of Jenni once previously when they almost pinched the 2023 Group 2 Stocks Stakes won by the fast-finishing short-priced favourite Amelia's Jewel. "Bring on the Cox Plate." Amelia's Jewel glides to the post to take out the Stocks Stakes ðŸ'Ž @Simon_Miller_ @LaneDamian â€' (@Racing) September 29, 2023 'I haven't had the big success on her yet, hopefully that's next Saturday,' Newitt said. Pride Of Jenni won the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) but found the two-week back-up into the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) beyond her. She returned after a five-week freshen to win the Listed Anniversary Vase (1600m) with 61kg. Newitt will head to Cranbourne on Monday to gallop Pride Of Jenni. 'I'll give her a final gallop Monday morning and she'll be on the plane Tuesday,' Newitt said. 'I worked her last week, she's going well, so full steam ahead. 'We know she's got the ability … it's a matter of getting her there in the right frame of mind and in A-1 condition – if that's right at the start line I'm sure she'll make it an exciting race. 'She's a champion mare in her own right, she's just got to turn up and deliver her best and her best is good enough to beat anyone.'
