Full of Pride for star mare
Shades of Secretariat as Maher’s Jenni nabs $5m race
This was better than Might And Power, this was better than Vo Rogue – this was Secretariat-like.
Pride Of Jenni’s frontrunning effort in the Group 1 $5m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on Saturday at Royal Randwick was a win for the ages.
Everyone expected her to lead at a frenetic tempo but not like this. She led by six lengths after 400m, she opened that margin to 10 lengths 1400m from home.
But by the 800m, Pride Of Jenni had increased her lead to more than 30 lengths and then at the 600m, some estimates had her 100m or about 40 lengths clear – and she just kept going.
With jockey Declan Bates rating Pride Of Jenni superbly, she kept running sub-12s every 200m sectional split and by the 400m it was obvious her rivals were racing for second. Might And Power was a great frontrunner and he won a Queen Elizabeth Stakes by 10 lengths. Vo Rogue used to open up big leads in his races, sometimes as much as 10 lengths and run his rivals into the ground.
But Pride Of Jenni puts a whole new meaning into “tearaway frontrunner”.
This was a famous win that will go down in history, as spectacular as anything seen at Royal Randwick. It even compares with US great Secretariat’s scarcely believable 31-length romp in the 1973 Belmont Stakes.
Pride Of Jenni did start to tire in the last 200m, but she still had a winning margin of 6½ lengths on the line.
Trainer Ciaron Maher was almost speechless. “Unbelievable!” Maher said. “I’ve never seen anything like that, ever. Just phenomenal. Leading by 40! In a Group 1! And not just any Group 1!
“I don’t think it will get any better than that. That is the biggest win I’ve ever seen, let alone had anything to do with.’’
Pride Of Jenni ($7) ran a stellar field ragged to win by easily from Via Sistina ($1.85 favourite) with Mr Brightside ($10) almost two lengths away third.
Maher, who also trained Sydney Cup winner Circle Of Fire, was still trying to find the superlatives to describe Pride Of Jenni’s win.
“I knew she’d get better the more she raced at 2000m but, my God, that was mind boggling to know that a horse can do that,’’ he said.
“I never doubt Dec (and) she must have given him some amazing feel. Full credit to him. Incredible.”
Bates allowed Pride Of Jenni to run her own race in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which made for compelling viewing.
“That was all her today,’’ the jockey said.
James McDonald, rider of Via Sistina, had a one word answer to media after the race: “Embarrassing.’’