Princess Jenni Earns a Trip to Sydney

Mark Smith - Friday March 22

The David Brideoake-trained Princess Jenni will head to Sydney following her first stakes win in Friday night's Group III Alexandra Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley.

The lightly raced daughter of High Chaparral (IRE) came from second last to under Damien Oliver to defeat Angelic Ruler by a half-neck with Arctic Shock a short-half-head back in third.

Narrowly beaten into second place at Pakenham when making her career debut in October last year, Princess Jenni made no mistake a fortnight later when bolting in by six lengths over 1400 metres at Geelong.

Off the scene for 18 weeks she began her campaign with a troubled seventh in the Group II Kewney Stakes at Flemington on March 9.

"They don't win maidens like she did unless they have a lot of potential," Oliver said.

"She was very impressive the day she won her maiden and it has taken the stable a little time to get her back to that level but she is definitely heading in the right direction now."

Stable representative Alex Woodhams indicated a trip to Sydney is now on the cards.

"She's a lovely filly and we've always had a lot of time for her," Woodhams said.

"She put the writing on the wall when she won her maiden so convincingly. Ollie was desperate for the ride and stuck with her, we mapped out this plan and it has come off.

"She's had a couple of little issues along the way, nothing major just a few little slip ups where we had to scratch and miss a bit of work. We thought her first up run was really solid, considering where she was in the campaign. She took plenty of benefit from the run and proved that tonight.

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"The plan was to run in this and go to Sydney for the Adrian Knox in a couple of weeks time but we will just let the dust settle."

Princess Jenni was purchased by owner Tony Ottobre for $120,000 from the Phoenix Park draft at the 2017 NZB Premier Yearling Sale.

"There is a special couple of people back in New Zealand who bred the horse, Marg and Murray Hardy, Ottobre said.

"We always keep in touch with them and they will be watching the TV in this late hour in New Zealand and they will be stoked as well.

"We call all of our good horses after our daughter Jenni who passed away in 2015 and we keep her memory alive by naming the horses after her so this has been an absolute thrill."

Princess Jenni (pictured as a yearling ) is the first foal of the 5-time winning Zabeel mare Glitzabeel whose granddam is the Group II Magic Night Stakes winner Precious Glitter who is a half-sister to the Group III Hawkesbury Gold Cup winner and multiple Group 1 placed Beauty Watch.

Glitzabeel's yearling filly by Tavistock was purchased by Mick Price for $30,000 at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She has a filly foal by Power (GB) and was bred back to Turn Me Loose.

Princess Jenni becomes the 128th stakes-winner for Coolmore Stud's late, great High Chaparral (IRE).

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