Ciaron Maher acknowledges it can be boom-or-bust with Pride Of Jenni these days, yet Victoria’s leading trainer is upbeat the crowd-pleaser can string wins together for the first time in nearly two years.
The veteran mare heads back to Sydney for the first time in 12 months to tackle Saturday’s $5 million Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1609m) at Randwick.
Pride Of Jenni resumed with a strong victory in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 26, a performance that reassured Maher she’d put a forgettable Queensland venture behind her and was ready to elevate again.
“I was a bit dubious first-up because she was a bit heavier than she’d ever been, but she ran just as good and she seems to be in that similar sort of spot,” Maher said.
“Things have to go right (with her) and Queensland wasn’t as smooth as what I would have liked.
“There’s no in-between, you’re either fighting out the finish or you are out the back. That’s how those style of horses are, there’s no there’s no in-between.
“But I do think she’s in a good order. She’s in a good spot.”
The eight-year-old is chasing consecutive wins for the first time since her breakout 2023 Melbourne Cup Carnival, when she captured the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) and the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m).
She was crowned Australia’s Champion Racehorse the following season, headlined by her spectacular Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) triumph, and her only subsequent Sydney appearance was a valiant second in last year’s King Charles III Stakes behind Ceolwulf.
“Her run last year was fantastic and the time before was when she won the Queen Elizabeth. Her last two runs up there have been great,” he said.
For this year’s edition, Pride Of Jenni has come up with barrier eight of 12. The field includes defending champion Ceolwulf (four) and the previous year’s quinella of Fangirl (11) and Mr Brightside (12).
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