Pride Of Jenni sends ominous spring warning
Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) has issued an ominous warning ahead of her spring return, with trainer Ciaron Maher delighted by the champion mare’s condition following a dominant Cranbourne jumpout.
The multiple Group 1 winner did what racing fans have become accustomed to seeing, rolling forward and putting a significant margin on her opposition in a 1200-metre hitout on Monday.
But unlike some of her more conservative jumpouts in recent preparations, Pride Of Jenni was allowed to extend through her work.
Glenn Ingram was impressed by the strength of the performance.
“She blew them off the park here at Cranbourne over 1,200 metres,” Ingram said on The Trial Show.
Maher was equally pleased with what he saw.
“I’m just wrapped with the way she’s come back,” he said.
“She had a great prep in Queensland. She wintered well, and just everything she’s done this prep, she looks good.
“Her demeanour’s great.”
Most encouragingly for connections was the feedback from the saddle after the mare was allowed to build through the jumpout.
“He kept the handbrake on for a couple of furlongs and let her go,” Maher said.
“He said she felt as good as ever.
“Hard to believe that she’s getting older, but she’s still got it. That’s for sure.”
Pride Of Jenni is set to begin her spring campaign in the Feehan Stakes, a race she has won in each of the past two years.
The feature will be staged at Caulfield this year, with the Empire Rose Stakes looming as another potential spring target. - racing.com
Arabian Songbird resumes at favourite track
Four of Arabian Songbird’s (NZ) (Pierro) five wins have come at Ellerslie, and on Saturday the highly talented mare will return to the Auckland track to make her first raceday appearance in more than 300 days when she lines up in the Windsor Park Stud 1400.
The daughter of Pierro has made a big impression in a career that spans only 11 starts, with her five wins backed up by two thirds and a Group Two fourth.
She appeared to be scaling new heights as a five-year-old last spring. Her first two starts of the season produced a pair of impressive victories at Ellerslie against the likes of subsequent multiple Group One performer Tardelli (I Am Invincible).
However, what could have been a coming-of-age campaign came to an early end after a last-start fourth in the Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at Pukekohe on November 22.
“She’s unfortunately been plagued with bits of unsoundness through her career so far, which has cut a few of her preparations short,” said Robert Wellwood, who trains in partnership with Roger James.
“But she seems to have come back in good order this time in, and we’re really looking forward to seeing her back at the races. We’re hoping to aim her towards some stakes targets, with potential options including races like the Spring Sprint at Hastings and then the TAB Mile in Christchurch.”
Arabian Songbird trialled at Cambridge on September 1. She was ridden by stable apprentice Abinith Simon and finished third to Esperanza (NZ) (Reliable Man) and Liguria (NZ) (Snitzel) over 950 metres.
“The race this weekend is certainly not her end goal, but with the great record that she has at Ellerslie, we see it as a nice starting point,” Wellwood said.
Arabian Songbird will be joined at Ellerslie on Saturday by several other talented members of James and Wellwood’s Cambridge stable.
The Hello Youmzain Champion 2nd Season Sire 1400 marks the three-year-old debut of Incandescent (NZ) (Per Incanto), who was a last-start winner of the Listed Champagne Stakes at Ellerslie on May 16.
The Per Incanto gelding placed behind Azeezle (Exceed And Excel) and Slipper Island in a trial on September 1, and the TAB rates him a $12 chance for the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas in November.
“His build-up has gone very well,” Wellwood said. “Being a stakes winner already, we’re in the fortunate position of not being under pressure to try to get rating points to get into races like the Guineas this spring.
“That gave us the option to just hang back from stepping out in some of the early-season stakes races in favour of a slightly easier starting point. He’s coming up really nicely.”
The Elsdon Park 1200 features Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes winner Fairy Dream (NZ) (Proisir) along with Confesara (Toronado), who won the Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy on Champions Day and had previously finished third to Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Gr.3 Uncle Remus Stakes.
“The 1200 metres will be certainly short of their best, but it’s a nice place for them both to start,” Wellwood said. “We know we’ll get a good track.
“They’re both on the edge of being open-class stakes horses, and we’ll be guided by what they do this time in. Races like the Spring Sprint could be within their reach as well if they show that they’ve come back well as four-year-olds.” - Richard Edmunds
Ronaldo to answer distance query this spring
Trainer Robbie Patterson is confident his promising colt Ronaldo (NZ) (Ribchester) is capable of scoring a Group One result this season – it is just a question over which distance.
The three-year-old son of Ribchester made an impression as a juvenile last season, winning his first two starts before running fifth in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), and Patterson said he has returned in superb order.
He is set to resume in the CR Grace Ltd & Waterforce Sprint (1000m) at Trentham on Saturday, which Patterson is warning is short of his best distance as he expects him to furnish into a top stayer.
“He is a lovely horse, but just a word of caution for the punters, it is looking like he is going to be a stayer,” Patterson said. “He is an unbelievably relaxed horse. 1000m could be short for him on Saturday but I have added blinkers onto him to try and spark him up a little.”
The Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November remains Ronaldo’s key target this spring, however, Patterson said he may need to change tack and set his sights towards Derby targets in autumn if his early assumptions are correct.
“He will head to the 2000 Guineas as long as he is showing that turn of foot,” Patterson said. “If he is not showing that turn of foot, I will probably start looking at three-year-old staying races pretty quickly.”
Later on the card, Group One winner One Bold Cat (NZ) (The Bold One) will contest the Gr.3 Hunterville Vet Club Metric Mile (1600m) in preparation for next month’s Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings.
“He has done really well since he last raced and I couldn’t be happier with him,” Patterson said. “I don’t expect him to be winning from that draw (18), but I can see him going a big race.
“As long as he is powering home well at the finish, he will go on to the Livamol from there.”
Stablemate Jaeger (NZ) (Time Test) was first on the ballot, but he has been withdrawn from Saturday’s race after drawing barrier 17, and he will now take aim at the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham next month.
“He is a young horse and I have only just got him going,” Patterson said. “He was out in a tricky draw and there is plenty of time for him and there is plenty of nice racing for him, so I thought I would leave it and go to an open 1500m at Te Rapa next Friday and then progress to the Thompson Handicap, all going well.”
Patterson is also set to line-up Thorax (NZ) (Ribchester) in the Nufarm & Property Brokers 1400 and Meloni (NZ) (Ghibellines) in the Manawatu Toyota & John Turkington Forestry 1600.
“I am really happy with Thorax,” Patterson said. “He had a really good run fresh-up, he didn’t get all favours, and he has trained on well. It is a bit of a sticky gate (14), but it is the last race so it might not be a problem. He is super well and I would be disappointed if he didn’t go a really good race.
“I can’t fault Meloni. He galloped with One Bold Cat and has been going as good as him. He had a good run at Wanganui and was very unlucky. If he turns up on the day he will be hard to beat.” - Joshua Smith
NZ Racing Desk
Paul Vettise
