At Caulfield, jockey Declan Bates shared a gallop with Pride Of Jenni, both dropping pounds as they prepare to unite for the All-Star Mile.
Ciaron Maher assembled a small, high-quality string of horses for Tuesday’s gallop at Caulfield, prominently including Pride Of Jenni who targets a first-up run in the Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington on March 7.
Bates hasn’t raced since December 6, when a barrier setback at Ballarat jump-outs injured him; he rode the mare in the workout to enhance his readiness for a track return, perhaps at Terang on Friday.
The incident left the Irish jockey with fractures to his pelvis and sacrum, which he termed ‘a nasty one’.
“It’s a frustrating injury because you can’t give it any relief,” Bates said.
“Sitting down you’re putting pressure on it and even lying in bed you’re putting pressure on it.
“That’s why in the first month you don’t feel like you’re healing at all, so I was a little bit worried with the injury at first, but once it started coming good, in the last month especially, there has been rapid improvement and luckily, I’ll be back ahead of schedule.”
Bates returned to trackwork riding over a week ago and worked ‘eight or nine’ horses during Monday’s Cranbourne jump-outs.
He’s excited about getting back to competitive riding and peaking his fitness in time for the All-Star Mile with Pride Of Jenni.
“My fitness needs to tighten up a bit, but that’s going to come as I go along,” Bates said.
“I was keen to get back racing two weeks before the All-Star Mile and that way it gives me a good two weeks of race riding before then.
“Like me, she’s got a bit of fitness to come on, but she feels her usual self, enthusiastic in her work, and that’s what I wanted to see.
“It’s good to have a nice horse to look forward to. You always want to get back as quick as possible and when you have a nice horse it really helps the motivation to get back as strong and healthy as possible.”
In 19 of Pride Of Jenni’s 43 starts, Bates has been aboard, delivering four Group 1 successes such as the mare’s thrilling 2024 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick. For the All-Star Mile, punters should review the top online bookmakers.
The post declan-bates-trimming-down-for-pride-of-jenni-return first appeared on Just Horse Racing.