‘I’ve never seen anything like that’ – Pride Of Jenni stuns Maher
‘I’ve never seen anything like that, ever’ was Ciaron Maher’s assessment of Pride Of Jenni’s (Pride Of Dubai) victory in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m).
In truth, it is doubtful many punters at Randwick had ever witnessed something quite like that success, and almost certainly never in a race of this calibre.
A confirmed front-runner having her third try at 2000 metres, Pride Of Jenni was a horse well-known to go hard from the get-go, but surely few expected what unfolded before their eyes in Saturday’s event.
Ridden in enterprising style by usual partner Declan Bates, the pair broke well from barrier three and were soon in front. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Almost as soon as she gained the lead, the six-year-old mare relentlessly continued to extend her advantage over her eight rivals until, quite astonishingly, ending up what race caller Darren Flindell described as ‘about 30 lengths in front’ rounding the home bend.
Asked to maintain her gallop with 400 metres left to run, the daughter of Pride Of Dubai (Street Cry) did not once look like being reeled in and was allowed to simply coast home in the final 50 metres, leaving some to call the winning ride a triumph, and others to question the jockey’s in behind.
Pride Of Jenni would eventually come home 6.5 lengths ahead of odds-on favourite Via Sistina, who was 1.9 lengths clear of the third-placed Mr Brightside (Bullbars). Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Cascadian (New Approach) ran fourth, having been last at the bend, beaten 8.8 lengths by the winner.
“Unbelievable!” a visibly shocked Maher said. “I’ve never seen anything like that, ever. Just phenomenal. Leading by 40 [lengths]. In a Group 1! And not just any Group 1!
“I don’t think it will get any better than that. That is the biggest win I’ve ever seen, let alone had anything to do with.”
“I knew she’d get better the more she raced at 2000 metres but, my God, that was mind boggling to know that a horse can do that.
“I never doubt Dec [and] she must have given him some amazing feel. Full credit to him. Incredible.”
Bates could barely believe the result himself post-race, revealing he was tempted to look over his shoulder in the closing stages having not heard another rival nearby.
“That was all her today,” Bates said. “Over the last six months, the times I’ve ridden her we had a nice rhythm with each other and when I’d ask her to come back she’d come back a bit.
“I couldn’t tell you what the sectionals were. Generally once we’re doing it nice and smoothly, I’m aware.
“I was actually concerned that we were doing a bit too much. To be honest, until we hit that line I wasn’t happy at all today until it was done.
“You can usually hear them coming and I was tempted to have a look back but I kept my eyes on the post.”
Pride Of Jenni was a $100,000 purchase for owners Tony and Lynn Ottobre’s Cape Schanck Stud from the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2019 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
“What this mare has done has been amazing for my family, she brings us such joy,” Tony Ottobre said.
“I’ve never seen a win like that before, she is an incredible horse. We will take her home now and give her a good spell then bring her back for the King Charles.”
As for the beaten jockeys, James McDonald’s, rider of Via Sistina, post-race comments simply read: “Embarrassing”. Meanwhile, Ben Melham, who rode the fourth-placed Cascadian, said: “Dunno what to say really. The race was over after three furlongs. Second and third horses should have tacked up. It (Pride Of Jenni) was always going to win with a scenario like that.”
Bred by Trelawney Stud, Pride of Jenni (6 m Pride Of Dubai – Sancerre by O’Reilly) was registering her third Group 1 in Saturday’s contest, and continued what has been a sensational preparation, with victory in the All-Star Mile (1600m) adding to second-placed efforts in both the CF Orr Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and Australian Cup. Her first two Group 1s came in the spring, when she backed up her victory in the Empire Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) with a win in the Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) seven days later.
She is the first foal out of the winning O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) mare Sancerre, herself a daughter of Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Vouvray (Zabeel).
Sancerre has a yearling filly by Per Incanto (Street Cry) and is in foal to Cambridge Stud stallion Hello Youmzain (Kodiac).