Latest news with #PeterYoungStakes
New Paper
02-05-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Pride Of Jenni in Anniversary Vase quandary
Watching Pride Of Jenni as the first horse beaten in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2,000m) felt like worrying deja vu of her last place in the Group 1 Champions Mile (1,600m) last November. Back then, she bled from both nostrils, with flamboyant owner Tony Ottobre deciding with trainer Ciaron Maher soon after to retire the Australian Horse of the Year. It brought an inauspicious end to a stunning career better remembered for her almost supernatural win in the 2024 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,000m) where she led the field by 30 lengths at one stage, but never faltered to the line - relegating a certain Via Sistina to second place more than six lengths astern. Against all odds, the seven-year-old daughter of Pride Of Dubai returned to racing after serving the mandatory three-month suspension for bleeding. While her "run of the century" was put down by many to a second set of lungs, it remained to be seen how the original set had cleared up and would withstand the rigours of racing at her comeback. The answer could not have been more resounding. With new partner Craig Newitt aboard, the old Jenni was back with a vengeance in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1,800m) at Caulfield on March 15. Granted, the ninth win was not as breathtaking as the Queen Elizabeth - and it is doubtful she will ever emulate that performance - but the catch-me-if-you-can style was still unmistakable. Two weeks later, she started as the 5-2 favourite in the Australian Cup at Flemington, but the warning signs popped up as early as the halfway mark. Usually at that point, she is sooled away to a commanding break while her hapless rivals are seen paddling away in her wake. Not this time. Even more foreboding was the sight of Newitt pulling the whip at the home turn. She was engulfed in no time, finishing in a canter 15 lengths off winning stablemate Light Infantry Man, beating one home. The knee-jerk reaction from such a dismal run in some quarters would be to pull the pin on her racing days for good this time. However, unlike her post-Champions Mile run, she did not exhibit any untoward signs and was soon given a clean bill of health. Pride Of Jenni was down but not out. Ottobre was not content with eight wins, three at Group 1 level and A$10.3 million (S$8.62 million) in stakes as the final statistics. A decision to skip a probably futile attempt to defend her Queen Elizabeth Stakes crown on April 12 in favour of a shot at the Brisbane Winter Carnival sounded wise. As expected, Via Sistina was too good. The A$175,000 Listed Anniversary Vase (1,600m) at Caulfield on May 3 (at 2.20pm Singapore time) as the launch pad to a second Lazarus-like winning comeback does raise a few eyebrows, though. She is down in easy grade against opposition which would have been rated as easy kill 12 months ago, but the top impost of 61kg while giving 5.5kg to the next horse Regal Zeus is a major deterrent. That same Regal Zeus being a noted front runner may set Pride Of Jenni for a cut-throat battle, which could only result in the same agonising outcome for fans and connections - a rearward finish. The one tick of approval is the Caulfield mile, which suits better than the 2,000m at Flemington. To Maher, the race is a crucial gauge to the Brisbane riches, even if it may still point to the paddocks. "Jenni is in really good order," Maher told RSN. "She's en route to Queensland and we will have a look at her on Saturday. "We have used races like that before, these quality handicaps with the maximum topweight. I think we did it with Gold Trip (2022 Melbourne Cup winner)." However, the odds are still stacked against her. Swoopers ready to pounce on her vulnerability are not in a short supply. Last-start Listed City of Adelaide winner Hellsing, Pounding and Makram are among those who can put another dent on the wounded Pride of Australian racing. manyan@
News.com.au
29-04-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Pride of Jenni to race in 2025 Anniversary Vase at Caulfield ahead of Doomben Cup mission
Premier trainer Ciaron Maher will follow a method used with the likes of Gold Trip when running star mare Pride Of Jenni in Saturday's Listed Anniversary Vase at Caulfield. Pride Of Jenni 's return will add some glamour to Saturday's meeting as she prepares for a possible Queensland Winter Carnival tilt. The multiple Group 1 winner will carry 61kg in the Anniversary Vase but Maher said Pride Of Jenni was not badly treated in the $175,000 feature. 'She's not too badly weighted in that race,' Maher said. 'We've done that a few times with quality horses like Gold Trip. 'We sometimes run them in Quality Handicaps where there is a maximum topweight.' The seven-year-old has not raced since a disappointing Australian Cup in which she only beat one runner home, finishing more than 15 lengths from the winner Light Infantry Man. However, Pride Of Jenni resumed with an outstanding win in fast time in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes two weeks earlier, an effort Maher said left her flat for the Australian Cup. The Tony Ottobre-owned Pride Of Jenni had an easy time after the Australian Cup to freshen ahead of a possible trip north in the coming weeks. 'She lowered her colours last start but running back two weeks after a peak run is never easy,' Maher said. 'After she runs on Saturday, there's maybe (the) Doomben (Cup). 'She trialled really well and she's in a good spot and seems just as good as ever.'
