Latest news with #MelbourneCupCarnival
Herald Sun
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Herald Sun
'Her best is good enough to beat anyone': Newitt eyes Group 1 glory with Pride Of Jenni
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. 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. • 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. • Big Bets Review: Classy import Sir Delius burns bookies '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.' Originally published as 'Her best is good enough to beat anyone': Jockey Craig Newitt eyes Group 1 glory with Pride Of Jenni
7NEWS
24-04-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
Penfolds ends partnership with Victoria Racing Club and Melbourne Cup Carnival
The Victoria Racing Club is dealing with another painful blow to the hip pocket. Major sponsor Penfolds — Australia's most famous winemaker — is cutting ties with the Melbourne Cup Carnival and will no longer feature in Flemington's famous Birdcage enclosure. Penfolds also had naming rights to the Victoria Derby. It is a serious blow for VRC chief executive Kylie Rogers. The VRC's financial issues are well documented and last year it was forced to cut jobs due to their grim fiscal predicament. 'After careful consideration, we have decided to end this partnership to shift our efforts and investment to other strategic priorities, with continued focus within the Australian market,'' Penfolds said. 'We remain committed to delivering innovative and disruptive Penfolds experiences to wine lovers and consumers.'' The VRC confirmed the news, saying the mutually beneficial partnership between would conclude in July this year 'as per the current agreement'. 'We look forward to providing an exciting update on new partners shortly,' the VRC said. Last year it was revealed the VRC had suffered a $24.2 million loss for the financial year. That result followed on from the previous loss of $14.9 million. In fact, over the past four years, the VRC has posted a combined loss of $70 million since splurging on a $128 million grandstand that opened in 2018. The VRC has also borrowed $75 million from the ANZ bank, has invested in capital works projects around Flemington (from $7.3m to $11.1m in the last financial year), has been stung by climbing interest rates while facing a fall in industry distributions and wagering revenue. Penfolds said it was proud of its achievements it had shared with the VRC, 'including three consecutive years delivering world-class experiences within Flemington's Birdcage'. It is not known how much the Penfolds contract was worth to the VRC, but it has been reported that a significant part of it 'was made up of contra Penfolds product'. Penfolds did serve its famous Grange — which retails for more than $900 a bottle (at its cheapest) — for wine tasting at the Penfolds Cup Week marquee.
