Champion mare Pride of Jenni was withdrawn from the Group I ATC King Charles II Stakes at Randwick today, but her owner Tony Ottobre was in the winner’s circle at Caulfield when his homebred Snitzel colt King Snitz won the Group III MRC Sportsbet Classic (2000m).
Trained by Shane Jackson, King Snitz broke his maiden last start when successful at Warrnambool over 2000m and took the quantum leap to stakes company in his stride at his fourth race start.
Ridden by Damian Lane, King Snitz was strong to the line and did best in a hectic three way finish to win by a nose over Vallice and Cignetti.
Caulfield Race 1 | King Snitz King Snitz and @LaneDamian win a thrilling edition of the G3 Norman Robinson Stakes ?? A Caulfield Cup Day triumph for @jackson_sw ?? ?? Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app REPLAYS: https://t.co/HEhdpozFmy https://t.co/ZLZ8qvTDxe
— Racing.com (@Racing) October 17, 2026
"We came here well over the odds I thought, but at the same time I'm probably a bit of a pessimist and thankfully Tony Ottobre is the opposite, he said we'll have a crack, I was going to trial him, go to the Geelong Classic and then have a runner in the Derby, that was sort of the way we were thinking,” said Shane Jackson.
"The further he goes, the better he'll be. He's a beautiful horse. First horse that Tony sent down to me.
“He was unbroken, a little small weed of a thing, but bred in the purple and he's still growing. He'll get better again and be better in the autumn."
King Snitz has the overall record of two wins from four starts with prizemoney just shy of $200,000 and the $3million Group I VRC Victoria Derby is now on the table for the progressive colt.
"We'll see how he pulls up. Horse comes first through, rather than putting on the black and white suit, which I'd love to, and I'm sure Tony would too,” said Jackson.
“We'll take him back down to the beach and wrap him in cotton wool and on to the next step."
Bred by Tony Ottobre’s Cape Schanck Stud, King Snitz is the first foal of Group I SAJC Australasian Oaks winner Princes Jenni (NZ), who was bought by Tony Ottobre back in 2017 at the Karaka Book 1 Yearling Sale for $120,000.
By outstanding sire High Chaparral (IRE), Princess Jenni won six races in total earning over $1million in prizemoney with multiple Group wins alongside her Oaks victory.
Princess Jenni had a Wootton Bassett (GB) filly last year and was covered last spring by Pride of Jenni’s sire Pride of Dubai.
King Snitz is the 178th stakes-winner for champion sire Snitzel.
