Via Sistina sprang something of a surprise when winning over an inadequate 1400 metre trip on her seasonal reappearance in the Group 1 Winx Stakes last weekend so now all eyes will be on Australia’s other top mare, Pride of Jenni, to return serve when she steps out at Caulfield on Saturday.
The two could not be more different in their run styles and their road to the top, all of which makes the puzzle that is racing ever more interesting.
The former English trained mare Via Sistina made plenty of headlines when purchased to race in Australia for $5.2million at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2023, but it was her racecourse achievements – she won had at Group 1 and Group 2 level in England and Ireland and twice been placed in the highest grade in England and France – which were wholly responsible for her inflated price tag.
Despite the fact that she was by Coolmore stallion Fastnet Rock out of an unraced Galileo mare called Nigh, she fetched just under $10,000 when sold as a yearling – proving that sometimes, if you are very lucky, there are some real bargains to be had.
Pride of Jenni cost Tony Ottobre ten times more when she went under the hammer for $100,000 as a yearling, but in today’s high powered market that makes her a relatively cheap commodity.
While Via Sistina had been racing at the top level through the northern hemisphere 2023 season, earning her hefty sales tag, Pride of Jenni was something of a slow burner and only recently burst on to the top level scene last spring, when she took out the Cantala Stakes and the Empire Rose Stakes in successive weekends during the Flemington Carnival.
She quickly established herself as a people’s favourite with her characteristic front running style (a stark contrast to the hold up tactics usually employed on Via Sistina) as she blazed her way through the autumn, collecting the All Star Mile and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in such extraordinary fashion when she travelled up to Sydney.
It has been a real ride to the top for former Irish jump jockey Declan Bates, firmly established as Jenni’s partner: but he, more than most, knows that every time the trailblazer steps on to the track she has a target on her back as opponents seek a way to unsettle her in front and exhaust her reserves before comming with their own challenges in the dying stages of the race.
Via Sistina went off at double figure odds in the Winx Stakes last weekend but there will be no such luxury prices about Jenni, who meets her old rival Mr Brightside for the sixth time;
On form she should not have anything to fear, given that the scoreline is 4-1 in her favour, but there are a few caveats, especially her first up record.
The Ciaron Maher trained mare is yet to score when resuming in any of her seven campaigns, although that may sound a bit harsh given she was only beaten the minimum margin when resuming in the Orr Stakes over the Memsie course and distance last February – a race in which, co-incidentally, Mr Brightside finished in front of her for the only time.
On class these two have a definite edge over their rivals and while Jenni does have much bigger targets ahead during the spring the fact that she has had three trials in the past six weeks should mean that she is, if not 100 per cent fit, then not too far off: this is, after all, a Group 1 (the merits of whether lead up events should have that status at all is a debate for another time) and Ciaron Maher is too smart an operator to know that he can take anything for granted.
Should something go wrong for the two principals then the race fit Gentleman Roy, a stable companion of Mr Brightside, would look the best placed to take advantage: he showed his well being when winning a 1400 metre Flemington handicap in early August and then stepped up to Group 2 level to take out the PB Lawrence Stakes over course and distance last time out beating Pinstriped (who reopposes) and Pericles. Pinstriped was racing for the first time in five months that day, however, so should strip fitter.
Antino is a Queensland raider from the Tony Gollan stable who was found wanting at Group 1 level in the Queensland winter carnival – although he has shown decent Caulfield form when running second in last year’s Toorak Handicap behind Attrition.
This should be a race to savour, and whether you are looking to get the favourites beaten or not, Pride of Jenni is the sort of hero horse racing needs at this time of the year, so even a watching brief should prove rewarding.