By Bren O'Brien
Trainer Shaune Ritchie has 57 reasons to look forward to next month's G1 New Zealand Oaks at Trentham on after Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) trounced her 3-year-old contemporaries in the G2 Little Avondale Lowland S. at Hastings on Wednesday.
Jennifer Eccles was a $5000 weanling purchase for Cambridge bloodstock consultant Adrian Clark and was subsequently syndicated to The Challenge No.10 Syndicate, which involves 57 different members.
Most of them appeared to be on course on Wednesday to see Jennifer Eccles confirm her favouritism for the Oaks with her third victory at stakes level, dashing away to win 4l on the line.
Jason Waddell sat her just off the pace, mindful of his two major rivals, G1 NZ Thousand Guineas winner Loire (NZ) (Redoute's Choice) and Showbeel (NZ) (Savabeel).
But he needn't have worried as when he pressed the go button at the 400 metres mark, Jennifer Eccles unleashed a spectacular burst to put the race to bed in a matter of metres, a big break ahead of Loire, while Showbeel was third, 1.5l further back.
“She’s aggressive in the way that she is such a racehorse,” Waddell said. “She is so competitive. The speed obviously wasn’t fast, it was only slowly run.
"I couldn’t hold her any longer coming to the 600m, I was getting up on their heels. She is a horse that has got a short turn of foot, well we thought she did. I don’t know if I have ridden too many fillies that can quicken up the way she does.
“She is an incredible filly and I appreciate the ride from the owners and Shaune Ritchie. I can’t wait for the Oaks.” - Jason Waddell
“She is an incredible filly and I appreciate the ride from the owners and Shaune Ritchie. I can’t wait for the Oaks.”
Remarkably it was the third straight fillies' stakes race where those three horses have filled the trifecta.
With Two Illicit (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}) opting to contest the G1 New Zealand Derby on Saturday, you would think there is every chance those three will fight out the Oaks again next month, where Jennifer Eccles is an overwhelming $1.80 favourite, ahead of Loire at $6.
Ritchie was a bit concerned when Waddell took off so early but was relieved to see his star filly put her best foot forward.
Shaune Ritchie
"Wasn’t she spectacular late,” Ritchie said. “I was worried. Going into a mile and a half you have got that concern in the back of your head that she might not get the trip, but she was dominant today.
“I was thinking, Jason wait, but that’s why you don’t need to talk to Jason because he is so good at making those calls. The cheeky way he eased down late was superb.”
The Cambridge based trainer, who last won the NZ Oaks with Miss Artistic (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) in 2012, can’t wait to get to Trentham in just over two weeks with his hoard of owners.
“It’s irrelevant how much they own, you can’t shake your own hand. There are plenty of them here to shake hands with. It’s a good atmosphere and great for racing,” he said.
Connections of Jennifer Eccles
