Freewheeling Jenni romps to Feehan Stakes victory
Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) silenced any doubters that her best years were behind her when she defeated a small but select field of seasoned Group winners to retain her Feehan Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) crown at The Valley on Friday night.
Having been retired and then returned to the racetrack, rumours of a second return to paddocks had been swirling around the Ciaron Maher-trained mare following her tenth-placed finish in the Doomben 10,000 (Gr 1, 2000m) last May. But she showed she was still worthy of being part of the conversation for the many of the big mile races this spring.
Ridden by regular partner Declan Bates, the eight-year-old took up her usual position at the front of proceedings, setting decent fractions on the lead.
When Matt Laurie’s multiple Group 1-winning star Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) drew closer in the straight, Pride Of Jenni found more to gallop away with a 1.8-length victory over the daughter of Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice). Group 1 winner Attrition (Churchill) was another 3.7 lengths away in third.
“She’s an amazing horse and Dec Bates knows her so well. Full credit to Tony for having the courage to race her on. She’s 100 per cent sound. She’s enjoying her racing,” Maher said, who enjoyed a stakes-race double on the night.
“She just amazes me to do what she can do. Treasurethe Moment is such an elite horse and she can test the best of them on her day and she just amazes me.”
The mare’s owner Tony Ottobre described the mare as “just a champion”.
“She’s just a champion and we have great people around her to guide her to this. Ciaron is a superstar. To do this with an eight-year-old mare is unbelievable. The accolades must go to Ciaron for presenting the horse like this and Jenni is just a marvel,” he said.
A $100,000 Inglis Classic purchase from the Segenhoe Stud draft for Tony and Lynn Ottobre’s Cape Schanck Stud, Pride of Jenni was bred by Trelawney Stud and is the best of two winners from winning O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) mare Sancerre, a daughter of Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Vouvray.