Read what the Jockeys and Trainers said following the Empire Rose Stakes 2025.
Winning Trainers: Ciaron Maher
How to describe her: “Ectastic, and appreciative and respectful. Just an amazing horse. To continually do what she does, she never ceases to amaze me.”
“Can’t thank the team, Dec (Bates), he’s a beautiful guy, rides her fantastic, Tony, fair play to him, I know he gets a lot of stick for not retiring and racing on, the mare’s happy, she’s sound and doing what she loves, there’s nothing better, winning a Group One.”
“I just want to give her a pat and a hug and slap Dec on the back.”
Winning Jockey: Declan Bates (Pride Of Jenni)
On the horse: “She is amazing. She cantered around to the gates so relaxed which is actually a bit unlike her so I was a bit unsure coming around but after a hundred metres in the race I knew we were winning, she got to her top nicely and kept extending every time I asked, I just knew there was nothing that could run us down.”
“She did get tired late but the job was done, she’s an absolute warrior of a horse.”
“You can do things on her that you just can’t do on other horses, her ability to sustain a gallop is freakish, for her to keep coming back and doing it year after year, it’s such a credit to everyone involved, Ciaron’s done an amazing job to keep getting her back. Tony and Lynn, wonderful owners who absolutely adore her. To be a part of this horse, it’s amazing.”
Putting on an old movie: ‘It’s a movie I would be happy to watch over and over. She’s something special. A horse with her style to keep coming back and reproducing these performances. Everyone involved with this horse, it’s clear they’re doing a magnificent job to keep getting her back. She’s in such a happy place this horse and I knew early on in the race that we were on board.
How it unfolded: “I don’t try and get wrapped up in the sectionals. It’s about her and allowing her to do it as she feels underneath me. Today, I knew very early on. She didn’t fly the lids, but she quickly came up underneath me and she was wanting to cross the field and I took my time getting there and every time I grabbed the bit she wanted to go and at the half-mile she extended beautifully. You can’t ride any other horse like you ride her, but the feeling she gives on these days, is something else.
Come back and achieve what you have on her: “She was retired, I was sacked, and that was all good, everyone was OK, but to be standing here, winning another Group 1 is making me emotional.”
Beaten Jockeys:
Kerrin McEvoy (Fangirl): “Great run by her. Obviously she had a lot of ground to make up. She gave a good finish closest on the line. Great performance.”
Jamie Melham (Abounding): “She ran alright. She did the chasing when Jenni’s breaking horses hearts. Just not the ideal race shape for her.”
Blake Shinn (Damask Rose): “We followed Fangirl. The leader, she’s just a champion. She brings every horse in the race undone and brought mine undone. She’ll come back a lot better in the autumn. She’s a really talented horse and this spring hasn’t been for her. She’s a lovely horse.”
Craig Williams (Benagil): “That mare, the winner, she’s a great mare. Credit to her and her rider and her training group. My horse, she ran well but was a little bit plain today. She could have been stronger through the line.”
Mark Zahra (Leica Lucy): “You forget what it feels like to lose. What a great effort. I just needed something to cart me into the race. Never did. Good effort to run second.”
Tommy Berry (Lazzura): “Massive run by her. Obviously with the gate we decided to run her quiet but we just didn’t get taken into the race the way I would have liked. I was probably a pair further back than I wanted to be but her last furlong there was mighty. You think you’re getting the rest of the field and you look up and still Jenni was five (lengths) ahead. She’s a champion mare and she was always going to be hard to beat today.”
Adam Hyeronimus (Firestorm): “I thought she’s gone terrific. Obviously Pride Of Jenni has dominated the race but to finish as close as she did on a firm track, she’s going well.”
Jordan Childs (Splash Back): “She ran as well as she could. She’s a get back horse and Pride of Jenni just breaks them up bit she still hit the line well.”
Michael Dee (Idle Flyer): “Disappointing result. Just didn’t help. We knew Pride Of Jenni was going to do something like that, but then we’re having to bring the rest of the field up. Just didn’t suit my mare.”
Ben Melham (On Display): “Really good performance by her. I thought she went into the race over the odds and it didn’t shock me to see her run that well and the best is still to come with her.”
