The complexion of this Saturday’s Group 2 Hollindale Stakes changed on Monday when Pride Of Jenni was confirmed for the $500,000 Group 2.
The popular mare is among 20 nominations for the Gold Coast event, which also includes the past two Melbourne Cup winners, Knight’s Choice and Half Yours.
The 1800-metre contest will be Pride Of Jenni’s first since a fifth placing in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf (1600m) at Randwick on April 11 and owner Tony Ottobre said the way she had done since that race was what convinced he and trainer Ciaron Maher to head to Queensland.
“It was never the plan, we were always going to give her the three runs in the autumn, which were some very high-level races,” Ottobre told SENTrack.
“She came out of those three runs a treat so we thought it’d probably be wise just to keep her ticking over while she was semi-spelling at Bong Bong Farm, which is in New South Wales, and the news coming back to me was that she was pretty keen and happy to keep going.
“It would have been remiss of us not to take her to Queensland and let the Queensland public have a look at this fantastic, beautiful animal that’s won Horse of the Year go around and hopefully do her thing where she can get out to a margin and stretch them and make it all exciting.”
Provided she performs up to expectations this weekend, Pride Of Jenni will progress to the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on May 23.
Her only Queensland appearance came in last year’s Doomben Cup, in which she finished 10th.
Pride Of Jenni’s Queen Of The Turf fifth placing followed a narrow second to Light Infantry Man in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m), having resumed with a third placing in the Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m).
Pride Of Jenni joined She’s A Hustler on the $5 second line of Hollindale Stakes betting after it was confirmed she would be running, behind only Half Yours, who is at $2.25.
