Pride of Jenni might be an eight year-old mare that is drawing ever closer to the end of her glorious career, but there was a sparkle in her eye before the Group II MVRC Feehan Stakes (1600m) and it was the Jenni of old that ran her rivals ragged at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
With regular partner Declan Bates back on board, the daughter of Pride of Dubai looked fabulous in the yard and ran right up to her good looks under a well rated ride.
She begun fairly and took her time to work to the front with race favourite Treasurethe Moment sitting in her slipstream.
Well-tuned by Ciaron Maher, Jenni gave a great kick off the bend and was not for catching with Treasurethe Moment closing off late for second nearly two lengths back.
It was back-to-back wins in the Feehan for Pride of Jenni , who won it last year beating Mr Brightside and Ciaron Maher was emotional after the win.
“She just amazes me to do what she can do,” said Maher.
“Treasurethe Moment is such an elite horse and she can test the best of them on her day and she just amazes me.”
Her owner Tony Ottobre was jubilant to see his champion mare back doing what she does best.
“She’s just a champion and we have great people around her to guide her to this. Ciaron is absolutely a superstar and to do this with an eight year-old mare is unbelievable, so a lot of accolades must go to Ciaron for keeping the horse in the condition that it is,” Ottobre said.
“She’s a marvel, that’s all I can say.”
Pride Of Jenni has now had 40 starts for 11 wins, 12 placings and $10.7 million in stakes.
A $100,000 Inglis Classic purchase from the Segenhoe Stud draft for Tony and Lynn Ottobre’s Cape Schanck Stud, Pride of Jenni was bred by Trelawney Stud and is the best of two winenrss from winning O’Reilly mare Sancerre, a daughter of Group I Queensland Oaks winner Vouvray.
Her sire Pride of Dubai is unbeatable value at Coolmore this spring at a fee of $27,500.
