On Monday, the picture for this Saturday’s Group 2 Hollindale Stakes transformed as Pride Of Jenni earned her spot in the $500,000 Group 2 event.
The crowd favourite mare is nominated among 20 for the Gold Coast showdown, featuring the two most recent Melbourne Cup winners Knight’s Choice and Half Yours.
Her appearance in the 1800-metre race follows a fifth position in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf (1600m) from Randwick on April 11, with owner Tony Ottobre sharing that her sharp recovery influenced the Queensland plan alongside trainer Ciaron Maher.
“It was never the plan, we were always going to give her the three runs in the autumn, which were some very high-level races,” Ottobre told SENTrack.
“She came out of those three runs a treat so we thought it’d probably be wise just to keep her ticking over while she was semi-spelling at Bong Bong Farm, which is in New South Wales, and the news coming back to me was that she was pretty keen and happy to keep going.
“It would have been remiss of us not to take her to Queensland and let the Queensland public have a look at this fantastic, beautiful animal that’s won Horse of the Year go around and hopefully do her thing where she can get out to a margin and stretch them and make it all exciting.”
With an anticipated strong run this weekend, Pride Of Jenni eyes the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on May 23.
Her previous Queensland effort was a 10th last year in the Doomben Cup.
The Queen Of The Turf fifth capped a narrow runner-up effort to Light Infantry Man in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m), succeeding her return third in the Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m).
Pride Of Jenni slotted into $5 second-elect status with She’s A Hustler in Hollindale Stakes betting post-confirmation, with Half Yours the $2.25 frontrunner.
Head to the racing betting markets for the keenest prices on the Hollindale Stakes.