Latest news with #Group1DoombenCup
7NEWS
04-06-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
Stallion announcement signals the end for ‘once-in-a-lifetime' champion Pride Of Jenni
Australia's reigning Horse of the Year and the country's leading stallion will meet later this year with Pride Of Jenni confirmed for a meeting with I Am Invincible. Yarraman Park Stud, in conjunction with Pride Of Jenni's owner Tony Ottobre, announced on Tuesday night that the three-time Group 1-winning daughter of Pride Of Dubai had been booked into the star resident of its Hunter Valley farm. 'I Am Invincible, what he's been able to do is incredible,' Ottobre said. 'I'm in awe of what he's been able to produce so I think we'll get a good one out of Pride Of Jenni.' The announcement effectively signals the end of Pride Of Jenni's career, which took in 39 starts for 10 wins and 12 minor placings. The seven-year-old's most recent appearance came in the Group 1 Doomben Cup on May 24, when she finished 10th of 12 in the race won by Antino. She announced herself a star during Melbourne Cup Week in 2023, when she won the Empire Rose Stakes and Champions Mile in the space of eight days, and returned in the second half of the season to win the $4 million All-Star Mile and Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Ottobre said like during her racing career, when Sammy Waters was the loyal companion of the Ciaron Maher-trained mare, Pride Of Jenni would have a designated carer as a broodmare. 'A horse like this only comes once in a lifetime, and she'll have her own carer throughout her entire life now,' he said. 'So, wherever she goes, there will be a carer going with her. We're bringing in Caroline Kirwin from Ireland. 'Prior to that, we had Samantha Waters at the Ciaron Maher stables. Wherever Pride Of Jenni went, Sam was there all the time, and she never left her side at the stables. 'Now I've specially employed Caroline Kirwin from Ireland, who will be arriving soon to go through the breeding journey with Pride Of Jenni — wherever Pride Of Jenni goes, she's going.' Pride Of Jenni is one of the highest-profile bookings for I Am Invincible, who is in contention for a fourth straight win in the Australian Champion Stallion award. The son of Invincible Spirit will stand at a fee of $220,000, including GST, for the 2025 breeding season.
News.com.au
03-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Libertad shocks the punters at $71 in Victory Stakes
Three years ago, Annabel Neasham watched on as her superstar galloper Zaaki was beaten as a $1.24 favourite in the Group 1 Doomben Cup. On Saturday at Eagle Farm, the newly married Annabel Archibald was the queen of the roughie as Libertad was a quaddie killer when stunning punters with a $71 blowout in the Group 2 Victory Stakes. Life just keeps getting better for the trainer, who recently married co-trainer Rob Archibald, as she scored both Eagle Farm Group 2 features after earlier winning the Queensland Guineas with Depth Of Character. Few saw Libertad's win coming. But it was hard not to be impressed in his second run back from a year-long injury lay-off and bookies slashed his odds from $101 to $15 for the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 in a fortnight. Jedibeel ran a narrow second for Brad Widdup and Golden Mile was terrific for James Cummings and Godolphin as a $41 chance in third. A real head bobbing finish in the G2 Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm, and it's the outsider Libertad who gets his nose down on the line! 😮 @ANeashamRacing | @BrisRacingClub | @TrilogyRacing1 — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 3, 2025 The first of the Queenslanders home was evergreen warrior Rothfire in fourth, with trainer Rob Heathcote and connections delighted and indicating they would give him a shot at the 10,000. 'On the strength of that run, we would have to run him 10,000,' Heathcote said. 'There was pressure on inside and outside, was the last man standing and he was entitled to tire. 'He is as tough as Buff (Heathcote's former Group 1 star Buffering).' The Victory Stakes left more questions than answers with equal favourite Far Too Easy finishing second last, fancied Hidden Wealth near the tail and Coleman for the Chris Waller stable nowhere near the winner. • 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! But, for Annabel and Rob Archibald, it was a triumph of epic proportions given Libertad had been to hell and back on the injury front. 'It is great to get him back on track,' Archibald said. 'He's had a couple of setbacks with a septic joint. He is lucky as they can be nasty. 'Then he had a little stress fracture when he came back from that. 'Looking back through his form, he's won some good races and placed behind Joliestar in the Arrowfield so I knew he had the form on the board but I thought he may be a run short. 'I originally had Jamie Mott booked on Lady Laguna and I said this morning 'sorry, she's gone to Hawkesbury instead'. 'I'm sure that when Jamie looked at the (betting) price of Libertad he didn't think he was in with a chance.' Mott now feels sure Libertad can make an impact in Group 1 company in the Doomben 10,000. 'Today he hit the front and got very lost and was like a drunken sailor for a time there until the second horse joined him and kind of headed him,' Mott said. 'To his credit he fought hard and was able to get him on the line. 'With so long off, he should have so much more improvement.'
