Pride Of Jenni drops in class in the 2025 Anniversary Vase
Horse of the Year Pride Of Jenni will step out at Caulfield this weekend in the Anniversary Vase (1600m), using the Listed contest as a tune-up ahead of her Brisbane Group 1 tilt.
She’s among 11 acceptors for Saturday’s race and will shoulder the 61kg topweight—handing significant weight to her rivals, including 5.5kg to Regal Zeus.
Trainer Ciaron Maher says it’s a path they’ve used successfully in the past to bring horses to peak fitness before elite-level targets.
“Jenni is in really good order,” Maher told RSN. “She’s enroute up to Queensland and we will have a look at her on Saturday.”
“We have used races like that before… I think we did it a couple of times with Gold Trip.”
In 2023, Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip used a benchmark 100 race as a springboard to claim the Turnbull Stakes.
Pride Of Jenni returned from a bleeding episode with a front-running win in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes in March, then was unplaced in the Australian Cup.
She spent time recuperating at owner Tony Ottobre’s property before returning to work in preparation for the Doomben Cup (2000m) on May 24.
“I think she’s in good order and I think she will bounce back,” Maher said.
Craig Newitt, who rode her in her two recent starts, will again take the reins from barrier four.
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