Photo: Bruno Canatelli
Elite front-running mare Pride Of Jenni triumphed in a captivating edition of the A$3.75 million All-Star Mile (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday for trainer Ciaron Maher and regular rider Declan Bates.
The dual Group One winner is known for being able to sustain a strong tempo for longer and once she found the lead within the first furlong for Bates, the pair set a building pace that had several of her rivals gasping a long way from home.
The Trelawney Stud-bred Pride Of Jenni kicked off the turn and maintained a good gallop to the line to defeat a gallant Mr Brightside, who came from a long way off the pace to get within two lengths at the line, while Cascadian finished third.
Raced by Tony and Lynn Ottobre, Pride Of Jenni has now won over A$5 million for connections.
The first three runners across the line could potentially clash again in the Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m) on March 30 at Flemington.
"She is quite special because you don't get horses that can do that," Maher said.
"Most horses have a 600m sprint but she seems like she can do it for half a mile or 1000m.
"She's unbelievable.
"There are obviously options in Sydney (and) the Australian Cup.
"Tony has always been very keen to get her to 2000m. We were half contemplating a Cox Plate (Gr.1, 2040m) last year, so she'll be hard to beat in whatever she goes in."
Maher said there had been some conjecture as to how much speed there would be in Saturday's race, but the trainer had full faith in Bates.
"He understands her, and you've got to have the confidence to ride her like that," Maher said.
"I said, 'don't worry about that, you know the horse, trust yourself and the horse, just ride the race' and he said, 'I just want to be smooth'.
"He never rides her bad."
Pride Of Jenni won the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) and the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington last spring and Bates said the mare had improved this campaign.
"We have so much faith in her," Bates said.
"This prep, every time I've sat on her back, she has certainly improved from last spring.
"I didn't want to say that out loud because of what she did last spring and not say that she might have come back better, but I think that is the case.
"She is doing it, sustaining a gallop, it's so impressive."
A daughter of Pride Of Dubai, Pride Of Jenni was bred by Trelawney Stud and is out of the O’Reilly mare Sancerre, who was prepared by Cambridge trainer Tony Pike to win on four occasions for the Stud.
The star mare stems from a family fashioned over generations at the famed Kiwi nursery, which has been in the Taylor family’s ownership since 1993, having been established by Seton Otway in the 1930s.
Group Two winner Real Success, the taproot of star Trelawney Stud graduates Vouvray, Loire, A Touch Of Ruby and Pride Of Jenni and many others around them was one of the first families the Taylors bought into upon taking ownership of Trelawney.
Pride Of Jenni was sold at the Sydney Classic Sale for A$100,000 through the Segenhoe Stud draft, where she was purchased by Tony and Lynn Ottobre’s Cape Schanck Stud.
Sancerre has a yearling filly by Per Incanto which has been retained by the Taylors and is in foal to Cambridge Stud stallion Hello Youmzain. – NZ Racing Desk
