Jenni’s Meadow proves too strong in Taj Rossi Series Final
Daughter of first–season sire Brutal brings up quinella for Lindsay Park in Flemington feature
The Lindsay Park team came away from Saturday’s Finals Day meeting celebrating further success at Flemington after they sent out the quinella for the $175,000 Taj Rossi Series Final (Listed, 1600m) when Jenni’s Meadow (Brutal) bounced back to winning form to beat stablemate Sneaky Sunrise (The Autumn Sun).
Jenni’s Meadow had promised plenty when making a winning debut at The Valley on December 30 last year, only to then fail to salute in her next four outings.
Sent to contest the lucrative $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) on the Gold Coast at her second start, the daughter of Newgate Farm’s first–season sire Brutal (O’Reilly) could only manage eighth behind winner Storm Boy (Justify).
Having been turned out for a break following that effort, the filly returned for a fourth placing in a 1000-metre handicap at Sandown-Hillside on May 25 before then producing fifth and fourth-placed efforts over 1200 metres and 1420 metres at Flemington last month, beaten less than 1.5 lengths on both occasions.
Stepping up to the mile for the first time on Saturday, Jenni’s Meadow looked sure to be suited by the longer distance and so it proved, as she came home strongly inside the final 150 metres under Ethan Brown, who rode a treble on the card, to record a 1.3 lengths victory over Sneaky Sunrise with Stay Silent (Deep Field) a further two lengths back in third.
“The last couple of starts, she’s [Jenni’s Meadow] been ducking in, losing momentum at the wrong part of the race, picking up and hitting the line strong,” Ben Hayes, who trains the filly in partnership with his brothers JD and Will, said.
“Today she went nice and straight, and she was super impressive. It’s a big thrill to get a nice win for Tony [Ottobre, owner], black type – it’s a good result.
“They’re both really progressive fillies, and to get black type for both of them is a big tick.”
Quizzed about what could be next for the now Listed-winning Jenni’s Meadow, Hayes said: “I’m not exactly sure, we’ll have to have a think… this was the grand final. This is the race we wanted to win, and to see her win impressively like that is fantastic.”
Bred and sold by Raheen Stud, Jenni’s Meadow (2 f Brutal – Meadow by Redoute’s Choice) was purchased by Tony and Lynn Ottobre’s Cape Schanck Stud for $260,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Out of the winning Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) mare Meadow, Jenni’s Meadow is a half-sister to the stakes-placed multiple winner Flower In The Wind (Sebring).
Meadow is a daughter of the Encosta De Lago (Fairy King) mare Strawberry Field, a Listed winner who was also placed at Group 2 level and ran fourth behind Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom) in the 2010 running of the Queen Of The Turf Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m).
In winning Saturday’s Listed contest, Jenni’s Meadow became the first stakes winner for Brutal, who has had a total of nine winners to date.
He will stand the 2024 breeding season at a fee of $16,500 (inc GST), down from $22,000 in 2023.