Ciaron Maher admits Pride Of Jenni can be rocks-or-diamonds these days, but Victoria’s premier trainer is upbeat that the fan favourite can finally string wins together for the first time in almost two years.
The eight-year-old mare returns to Sydney for the first time in 12 months to contest Saturday’s $5 million Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1609m) at Randwick.
Fresh off a first-up victory in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 26, Maher is convinced she has bounced back from a forgettable Queensland sojourn and is ready to raise the bar 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.”
Pride Of Jenni is striving for consecutive wins for the first time since her breakout 2023 Melbourne Cup Carnival, when she snared the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) and the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m).
Last season’s Australian Champion Racehorse, highlighted by her breathtaking Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) triumph, has raced in Sydney just once since—when runner-up 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.
This year she has drawn barrier eight of 12 for the King Charles III Stakes, a field that also includes defending champion Ceolwulf (four) plus the previous year’s quinella of Fangirl (11) and Mr Brightside (12).
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