Pride Of Jenni Queensland-bound after Caulfield win
Three-time Group 1-winning mare Pride Of Jenni (7 m Pride Of Dubai – Sancerre by O’Reilly) bounced back to form at Caulfield as she made all to score in Saturday’s Anniversary Vase (Listed, 1600m).
Sent to the front by Craig Newitt, the Ciaron Maher-trained mare showed her class as she kicked clear rounding the home bend before finding plenty under pressure to beat Scheelite (Real Steel) by 2.3 lengths.
There was a further 0.2 lengths back to the third-placed Pounding (Exceed And Excel).
Newitt revealed his relief after the race that his mount got the job done. “It’s just a relief, really,” the winning rider said.
“We know how good she is on her day, obviously the Australian Cup deflated all of us, so it was just nice to see her show she was back to where we thought she had to be and to get a result is a good one.”
The daughter of Pride Of Dubai (Street Cry), who finished ninth in the Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m), covered the 1600 metres in 1:35.62 on the Good 3 track, which was a new class record and 1.34secs outside Fields Of Omagh’s (Rubiton) 19-year-old track record.
“The speed I was going at the 1000-metre mark I reckon was the speed I was going on the winning post,” Newitt said.
“I never quickened any more but I never weakened. She just kept on going and her stamina really kicked in.”
Pride Of Jenni made up the third leg of a four-timer for the Ciaron Maher stable at Caulfield.