Connections of the front-running mares Pride Of Jenni and Deny Knowledge aren’t planning on changing tactics when they clash in the G1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday (29 March).

The seven-year-old pair, both sired by Pride Of Dubai, is in great form as last start winners and their meeting will ensure an exciting edition of the Australian Cup.

Pride Of Jenni won the G2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on 15 March and Deny Knowledge won the Listed Victoria Gold Cup (2000m) also at Caulfield on 22 February.

Last season, Pride Of Jenni was the star of Australian racing and was crowned Australian Racehorse of the Year. Her most notable victory came last April in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) where, at one stage, she led by 40 lengths to win by six and a half lengths at Randwick.

Last spring, she was below her best and her managing owner Tony Ottobre decided to retire her from racing but he changed his mind and she returned to work at Ciaron Maher’s stable.

Ottobre replaced regular jockey Declan Bates with Craig Newitt and they gelled when the mare returned from a spell and they controlled the tempo to win first-up at Caulfield.

Maher acknowledged the mares have similar running styles but said Pride Of Jenni was more tractable than the other mare.

He also suggested Deny Knowledge as she had got older was also not racing as hard in the lead but said it will be an interesting tactical event and the result will depend on how the jockeys get their timing right.

“It’s often underestimated how tough it is to get their fractions spot on. I thought ‘Froggy’ (Craig Newitt) did it perfectly the other day and ‘Dec’ (Bates), he just did it time and time again,” Maher said.

“Half a second is a lot and getting those even, smooth sectionals and first half right and unleashing her is underrated, it takes a bit of doing.”

Deny Knowledge, who is trained by father and son Anthony and Sam Freedman, was a Group 1 winner last spring in the G1 The Might and Power (2000m) at Caulfield.

She demonstrated she was back to her best when she led throughout to win the Victoria Gold Cup.

The mares clashed previously in the G2 Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley when Amelia’s Jewel defeated Pride Of Jenni in a photo with Deny Knowledge three and a half lengths away in third placing.

Sam Freedman said they weren’t going to change their tactics in Saturday’s clash.

“It’s going to be a truly run race. We’ll be ridden in the same manner that we’ve been successful doing so in the past,” Freedman said.

Freedman said in the past Pride Of Jenni has won her races due to her opposition being too scared to take her on from a long way out.

“I don’t think we’ll be afraid to put it to her a little way from home and at least give her some competition from the half-mile,” he said.

“She’ll be able to chase that speed and sit close to it, probably a lot of Pride Of Jenni’s competitors haven’t been able to absorb that sort of pace and kick off it. I wouldn’t swap our mare with anything there.”

Maher will also have two other highly-fancied runners in the event as he has well credentialled former English galloper Middle Earth and Light Infantry Man in the race.

Maher said Middle Earth had improved since his last start win but will need to be at his best to win.

Maher said he was rapt with how Light Infantry Man was racing and he should be respected.