Pride Of Jenni back on top after Feehan Stakes win over Mr. Brightside

After starting the season with two disappointing runs in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) and the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), Pride Of Jenni is back on top with a win in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m).

The 2023/24 Australian Horse of the Year nominee won the $500,000 race at Moonee Valley Racecourse by one-and-a-half lengths. That margin of victory doesn’t tell the full story though. Pride Of Jenni absolutely dominated the race.

This run has set Pride Of Jenni up well for the upcoming Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) next month on 26 October.

Pride Of Jenni’s front running best

Pride Of Jenni solidified herself as one of the best sprinters in Australia last April in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. The seven-year-old’s run was dubbed the “Run of the Century” as she won by an astonishing 30 lengths.

She only ended up winning the Feehan Stakes by 1.5 lengths, but her run was reminiscent of that dominant Queen Elizabeth Stakes sprint at Randwick in April.

Pride Of Jenni led Mr. Brightside by ten lengths heading into the final turn. She kept an eight-length lead down the final stretch before Mr. Brightside turned on the jets to close the gap. He was never close to catching Pride Of Jenni though.

The mare crossed the finish line comfortably ahead of Mr Brightside, Antino, and Attrition.

“She’s Back”

Pride of Jenni was the slight favourite heading into the Feehan Stakes with $1.80 chances to win. Mr. Brightside was close behind at $2.50.

Despite the betting sites odds, Pride of Jenni’s trainer Ciaron Maher admitted that he felt the mare had dropped her standards a bit to start the 2024/25 season.

He said that she was not her old self, before adding that Pride Of Jenni is now back after the big run.

“To have her back, that’s what racing’s all about, nights like this,” Maher said after the race.

“Really good racing and a brilliant job by Dec (Declan Bates). He understands her so well and the atmosphere tonight is electric.

“It’s just rad to have her back. I thought she was pretty close to right and thankfully she’s right back.”

Big October coming for Pride Of Jenni

This win for Pride of Jenni could not have come at a better time. The mare’s next two starts are set to be in two of Australia’s biggest Group 1 races.

First, Pride Of Jenni will go to Randwick on 19 October to race in the $5 million Group 1 King Charles III Stakes. A week later, she’ll come back to Moonee Valley for the Cox Plate.

Pride Of Jenni is a contender to win both races. She is currently second favourite to win the Cox Plate with $5.50 odds, just behind the favourite Prognosis at $4.50.