Leading trainer Ciaron Maher is pleased with the progress of Pride Of Jenni as the mare builds up towards her return later this month in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes.
The current Cox Plate favourite had her second jumpout for the preparation at Cranbourne on Monday morning, where she quickly gathered speed to lead the field in the 1000-metre heat before drawing away from her rivals in the home straight to win comfortably.
“Very good,” Maher said after the hit-out.
“It was just progressive, we held on to her the other day and she did a little more today. The way she’s coming on, her condition’s good, it was just what you want to see.”
Pride Of Jenni was ridden by her regular jockey Declan Bates, who came back with positive feedback for Maher.
“He said that she’s always better on top of the ground, but he said the last furlong, she felt like her old self,” Maher said.
Pride Of Jenni is at $2.50 for the Memsie Stakes and at $3.80 for the Cox Plate in Sportsbet’s futures markets.
Maher also provided an update on British import Saint George, who hasn’t raced since he came third in the G3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket in the UK in July last year.
The grey entire finished in the second half of the field in his jumpout on Monday, behind Pride Of Jenni.
“He’s getting there, he’s had a long time off,” Maher said.
“It was his second trial, the first one we didn’t do much. We asked a bit more of him today and we’re happy.
“He’ll have another one definitely and we’ll do a little bit more on him again but he’s on the right path.”
Sportsbet has Saint George at $34 for the Melbourne Cup.
– racing.com
