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Ciaron Maher‘s comeback queen Pride Of Jenni was back to her brilliant front-running best when resuming for a thrilling all-the-way victory successfully defending her title in the 2025 Ladbrokes Feehan Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
In an incredible first-up performance by the beloved eight-year-old daughter of Pride Of Dubai, Pride Of Jenni showed she still had plenty left to give when surging well clear of her rivals to hold on and become history’s sixth dual champion of the Group 2 $500,000 Feehan Stakes (1600m).
Rated to perfection by Declan Bates, back aboard her for the first time since an eighth in last year’s Cox Plate, she wasn’t super flash out the gates taking a little time to get into stride but once she got to the front, she raced away gapping the field by up to five lengths mid-race.
She started to come back to them as they approached the final turn but instead of giving in, the mighty mare gave a lovely kick on the short home straight to retain the lead and deny Matt Laurie‘s well-backed favourite Treasurethe Moment by 1.75 lengths on the line with Attrition third.
“I think this is the first time I’ve ever actually heard the crowd because normally it’s just me and her, and all I can hear is her,” Bates told Racing.com after the win.
“But the crowd at The Valley here tonight, they must have gave some roar because I could hear at to 600 (metres), I must have them in trouble because they’re cheering her.
“What a horse, what a horse.”
Boom Memsie Stakes winning mare Treasurethe Moment, returning for her delayed second-up run of the season after a bout of colic, was given every chance and was solid in defeat but couldn’t match motors with the runaway champ to have her nine-race winning streak come to an end.
“She didn’t begin actually the best, sort of Mark and Blakey beside me began almost equally with me, but I didn’t bustle her and when Mark was a neck in front of early, she didn’t want to race him,” Bates said.
“I knew I was going to get to the front before too long, so I just steadily got there, and once we hit the bend, she sort of grabbed the bit down that top side and then certainly from the thousand, I said right I was going to go, let’s go and she wasn’t for catching.
“When it comes to riding Jenny, you’re really just concentrating on her, and I was aware sort of at the half-mile, I felt something sort of close enough, so that’s where I gave her that bit of a squeeze, and she really lengthened down the side; and when she does that, that’s when she’s really on.
“So, I knew at that point we were in business, and she’s just a special horse.”
Pride Of Jenni was racing for the first time since her disappointing 10th to Antino in Brisbane’s Group 1 Doomben Cup over the winter but improved out of sight fresh adding to her dominant record over the Moonee Valley mile.
“I said to Tony (Ottobre), she just amazes me. To do what she can do. They’re special moments,” Maher said.
“She’s an elite horse and she can test the best of them.
“I was a little bit reserved coming into tonight. I can’t thank the team enough. Sammy, Tom, Jack, Tony, all his team.”
It was a lovely result for the briefly retired mare who the team has worked hard to bring back and salute in the same race she defeated Mr Brightside in by 1.5 lengths last year.
“I remember standing here last year when Jenni raced Mr Brightside, the crowd starting roaring 1000 metres from home, there’s no better feeling,” Maher said.
“I was a little bit reserved (tonight). That’s what I mean, she’s just an amazing horse.
“Dec Bates knows her so well. I was rapt to have him back on.
“Full credit to Tony to have the courage to race her on.
“She’s 100 per cent sound and really enjoying her racing.”
She now eyes a run against Mr Brightside in Sydney’s Group 1 $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 18 before a potential return to Melbourne for the Group 1 $3 million Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington over the Cup Carnival.
Pride Of Jenni has been slashed from $21 into $4 in futures King Charles III Stakes 2025 odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Ladbrokes Feehan Stakes 2025 Results
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1st
5. Pride Of Jenni (2)
J: Declan Bates 57kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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2nd
6. Treasurethe Moment (1)
J: Mark Zahra 56.5kg
T: Matt Laurie |
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3rd
2. Attrition (6)
J: Beau Mertens 59kg
T: Mitchell Freedman |
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4th
1. Tom Kitten (5)
J: Ben Melham 59kg
T: Anthony & Sam Freedman |
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5th
4. Flying Valley (4)
J: Jamie Mott 59kg
T: Julius Sandhu |
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6th
3. Alenquer (3)
J: Blake Shinn 59kg
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
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