Recently crowned Australian Racehorse of the Year, the Ciaron Maher-trained Pride Of Jenni, faces some formidable opposition in Saturday’s (19 October) G1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick. 

The bold front-running mare will again employ her traditional ‘catch-me-if-you-can tactics’ in the AU$5 million (approx. HK$26.89 million) feature but faces a huge challenge from fellow mare Fangirl, who won last year’s edition of the race. 

Pride Of Jenni’s exciting racing tactics can leave the opposition flat-footed and it will be a big challenge for the back-markers such as the talented entire Celestial Legend to make sure they can bridge what is sure to be a sizeable gap before the winning post.

Maher has no doubts about the capabilities of his mare, who rounded off her last campaign with victory in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick in April and then faded at short odds to finish well back first-up in the G1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in August. She is still without a first-up win but she placed second in the G1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) before winning last start, the G2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley. 

Maher said Pride Of Jenni is an amazing horse. 

“She’s a bit of a freak really, sprinting for a mile like no other horse I’ve trained,” Maher said. “I believe she’s still on the way up. There’s still a bit more improvement to come.”  

There is little in the early markets separating Pride Of Jenni and Fangirl, last-start winner of the 7+ Sport Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick where she downed My Oberon, another entrant for Saturday’s race, by around half a length after storming home from last on the turn.

Royal Randwick’s track conditions are likely to play a major part in the rivalry between Pride Of Jenni, who has a win and a second from three attempts on heavy ground, and Fangirl, who is unplaced in all five starts on the heavy.

Amelia’s Jewel, trained in partnership by Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald, has a victory over Pride Of Jenni in last September’s G2 Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley.

It will be the first Group 1 assignment for Amelia’s Jewel since changing trainers and while Archibald said the five-year-old needs to step up, the stable has been pleased with her past two runs, both at 1400m, when she has finished runner-up.

“The first two runs have been at set-weights-and-penalties, it’s nice to get her back to weight-for-age and I think she’s going to appreciate getting up to the mile,” Archibald said.

“No doubt, from what we’ve seen from so far she has to improve a little bit if she’s going to win a King Charles, but I think she can.”

Last start G1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) winner Ceolwulf has a blistering turn of foot according to his jockey Chad Schofield, who is confident the four-year-old gelding can add another victory to his three wins from 13 starts.

Of the less fancied runners, My Oberon, Pericles, Tom Kitten and Zougotcha are also expected to be among the place chances.