Princess Jenni upsets Cup aspirants in Bendigo feature
David Brideoake-trained Group 1 winner returns to form as Joseph O’Brien’s Pondus just falls short
The Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) field became clearer yesterday after Group 1 winner Princess Jenni (5 m High Chaparral – Glitzabeel by Zabeel) returned to form to take the Bendigo Cup (Gr 3, 2400m).
Last year’s Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Princess Jenni stepped out at a mile and a half for the first time yesterday with the David Brideoake-trained mare sent out at $26.
Instead, the money came for international visitor Pondus (Sea The Moon), with his placings behind Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Addeybb (Pivotal) and two-time Canadian International (Gr 1, 12f) hero Desert Encounter (Halling) last season and his efforts this year seeing the Joseph O’Brien-prepared five-year-old backed into $3.80 favouritism.
Princess Jenni overraced in the earlier stages but, from gate nine, rider Jye McNeil was able to get her into a good position in fifth, one off the rail.
Conversely, Pondus had to go back to near last from the outside gate under Damian Lane, an awkward position regardless. However, it was made worse when hometown hope Super Girl (So You Think) broke down approaching the crossing at the 1800 metres, shifting ground and taking the Irish raider wider on the track.
That incident proved critical in the finish as Princess Jenni, who raced to the lead early in the stretch, held off the late-charging Pondus to score by a nose. Haky (Muhtathir), more established as a front-runner early in his career, produced his best performance yet from a trailing position, finishing a further two lengths away in third.
For McNeil, it was his second country Cup in seven days, joining his win on Steel Prince (Nathaniel) in the Geelong Cup (Gr 3, 2400m), while he is preparing for his biggest mount yet when partnering Twilight Payment (Teofilo) in next week’s Melbourne Cup.
“It’s great. Her form probably wasn’t going the best into it but a small little gear change and everything going well during the racing, she put her best foot forward and it was quite a nice performance, I thought,” he said.
“I was travelling so well before the turn that I nearly fell into the trap of improving too early but she was starting to peak a little bit on her run late. The race was over by then and the way things went during the race it was just perfect.”
Punters were on the same page as McNeil with the mare unwanted in the market after a lacklustre spring in which she finished unplaced in four starts. She had not won in more than a year, after taking the Stocks Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) last September.
However, Brideoake said there were reasons she had not finished closer this spring.
“She’s such a good horse,” the winning trainer told Racing.com. “Honestly, this preparation she hasn’t done anything wrong, she’s just had a series of gates and bits and pieces that just didn’t allow us to get a result but today, that’s a good result.”
The Bendigo Cup served as one of the last lead-ups to the Melbourne Cup next Tuesday, although no winner had lined up six days later since The Offer (Montjeu) in 2015.
Pondus and Haky are among the third acceptors, as are fourth-placed Saracen Knight (Camelot) and fifth Zebrowski (Savabeel), but it is highly unlikely that any of the quartet will make the final field of 24, to be determined Saturday night.
Princess Jenni was among the nominations for the Melbourne Cup in August and was allocated 51.5 kilograms. She was taken out at first acceptances in late September.
If she had remained in contention, she would have been outside the top 24 without a penalty. However, the victory helped her to pass the first ballot clause for next year’s Cup, which Brideoake said remained a possibility.
“We just didn’t get enough mile-and-a-half work into her to go to the Melbourne Cup,” he said. “There’s always next year.
“She’s just such a good horse and I knew she was in good shape, to lift like that. But the ride, the ride was outstanding.”
Bought by Tony Ottobre and Darren Weir Racing for NZ$120,000 from the Phoenix Park draft at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Premier Yearling Sale, Princess Jenni – named for Ottobre’s late daughter – has now earned $976,035.
She is likely to be given her chance to crack the million-dollar mark in the Matriarch Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Vale Super Girl
The Bendigo Cup was marred by Super Girl’s injury as the Jim Middlemis owned and bred mare was pulled up abruptly by Jordan Childs shortly after leaving the straight the first time.
Having suffered an injury to her near fore leg, she was transported across Heinz Street to Bendigo Equine Hospital, but she was unable to be saved.
Her trainer Josh Julius returned to the track to watch his charge Highclass Harry (Magnus) take out a Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Series heat ahead of the $500,000 final at Flemington next Thursday, but in an emotional interview post-race, he laid bare his devastation at the loss of his stable star.
“We’re pretty flat. Jim and Lyn at home are obviously upset,” Julius said. “She’s obviously been a massive asset to our stable and I can’t thank Jim and Lyn enough or their support and, hopefully, we can get one just as good.
“Whether one means as much as she did, we’ll wait and see. Can be pretty hard at times, racing, but glad Jordie is ok, obviously.
“It’ll be a sombre few beers tonight. A small stable like us, everyone knows them backwards. Even all the people that have had something to do with the stable along the way over the last couple of years, no doubt they’re all feeling it as well.
“The Bendigo community has been terrific. My phone is blowing up. Everyone has shown support, got behind us, but unfortunately that’s racing.”
Super Girl won four of her 24 starts with eight placings, including when third in the Andrew Ramsden Stakes (Listed, 2800m) earlier this year, earning $170,335.
Owners locked out of Melbourne Cup Carnival
It is a dream for many owners to have a Melbourne Cup runner, but those lucky enough to have a starter next Tuesday will not be allowed trackside after the Victorian government yesterday announced that it would not grant permission to the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) to host connections at Flemington throughout the four-day Carnival.
Victorian racing minister Martin Pakula released a statement yesterday afternoon saying that, despite the easing of restrictions in Melbourne as of 11:59pm Tuesday night, it would not be feasible to have a mass gathering of owners at Flemington, no matter the size.
“I have today advised the Victoria Racing Club that connections of horses competing at the Melbourne Cup Carnival will not be permitted to attend the course,” he said. “The government has determined that next week is not a suitable time for gatherings of that nature.
“It is the right decision and has been made in the interests of all Victorians.”
This latest announcement comes after the government faced tremendous criticism for its decision to allow 500 owners to attend the Cox Plate meeting at Moonee Valley, a judgement that was reversed within hours.
VRC chairman Amanda Elliott, who earlier this week had expressed confidence that the government would allow a small number of owners, said that chief executive Neil Wilson had spent “significant time and resources developing a very comprehensive CovidSafe plan”, which had been scaled down when it was clear that members and the general public could not attend.
“To say we are extremely disappointed is an understatement,” Elliott said.
“In light of this week’s easing of restrictions, including the reopening of retail and hospitality, we were really optimistic a controlled number of owners would have been able to attend Flemington to watch their horses compete in the most important week of racing.
“Owners are critical to our sport and industry. Their support has played a major part in sustaining racing. We are devastated that they cannot be at Flemington.
“Given this decision, our focus is now all about how we provide the best possible off course owner experience – connecting them to their horses on track at Flemington, regardless of where they are.”