Although an enforced five-week break between runs is not ideal, trainer David Brideoake lacks no confidence he has the right mix for his star mare Princess Jenni (NZ) (High Chaparral) to win Saturday’s A$300,000 Pakenham Cup (2500m).
The New Zealand-bred five-year-old has not raced since winning the Gr.3 Bendigo Cup (2400m) in late October.
“A foot abscess meant she couldn’t run in the Zipping Classic (Gr.2, 2400m), which was a bit of a nuisance, but we’ve pressed on and she’s coming into this race fresh and in good shape,” Brideoake said.
“Jye (McNeil) rode her so well at Bendigo and it’s nice to have his services again as he’s really taken giant steps in his career.”
The 25-year-old McNeil has won a few Cup races this year away from his Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) triumph on Twilight Payment and Princess Jenni’s Bendigo Cup victory, as he also partnered Steel Prince to a Gr.3 Geelong Cup (2400m) triumph.
McNeil won the 2018 Pakenham Cup on Kiwi raider Our Big Mike, who is also an acceptor for Saturday’s race.
Princess Jenni will jump from the outside barrier of 10 in Saturday’s race, where the mare will carry a hefty 61 kilograms.
“She’s got that sort of weight because of what’s she’s done over her career,” Brideoake said of the Gr.1 Schweppes Oaks (2000m) winner.
A top-three placing will be enough for Princess Jenni to become racing’s newest millionaire as her earnings are just $24,000 short of that mark so far after just 19 career runs.
Bred by the Sunlight Trust, Princess Jenni was purchased out of Phoenix Park’s 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale draft for $120,000.
Raced by Tony and Lynn Ottobre, Princess Jenni is named after their late daughter Jenni, who succumbed to brain cancer in 2015.
