Princess Jenni (NZ) Shows True Colours in Bendigo Cup

Group One-winning Karaka purchase Princess Jenni (NZ) (High Chaparral) made an impressive return to winning form in Wednesday’s A$400,000 Group Three Apiam Bendigo Cup (2400m).

Bought for $120,000 from Phoenix Park’s draft at the 2017 Premier Sale, Princess Jenni rose to stardom as a three-year-old with victory in the Group One Australasian Oaks (2000m). She added the Group Two Stocks Stakes (1600m) in the spring of her four-year-old season, and Wednesday’s heroics improved her record to 19 starts for six wins, two placings and A$976,035 in stakes – almost nine times her purchase price.

Princess Jenni was ridden by Jye McNeil, who gave the five-year-old a dream run just behind the leaders. She was travelling superbly coming up to the home turn, and all McNeil had to do was angle her out into clear racing room to lodge her challenge.

Princess Jenni loomed out wide and sprinted to the lead, then held on strongly to deny the favourite Pondus (Sea the Moon) by a short head.

“That was terrific,” trainer David Brideoake said. “She’s just such a good horse. I knew she was in good shape coming into the race, the ride from Jye McNeil was outstanding, and it was great to see her lift the way she did.

“Honestly, she hasn’t really done anything wrong in this preparation. We’ve just had some bad gates and a few bits and pieces along the way that didn’t allow us to get the results. But today we got a very good result.

“Tony Ottobre and the family (owners) will be so happy with this. Tony puts his money into this game, buys good-quality horses, and he’s had some very good success. It’s fantastic for them.”

This was the second consecutive Bendigo Cup victory for a Karaka graduate. Last year’s race was won by Top of the Range (NZ) (Savabeel), who was a $250,000 purchase at the 2015 Premier Sale.

Brideoake suggested that Princess Jenni could now be set for the Group Two Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 7.

“That’s the race we’ve been looking at, and I think that’s possibly where we’ll go with her,” he said. “We just didn’t get enough work into her for the Melbourne Cup (3200m), but there’s always next year!”