Princess Jenni, who is trained by David Brideoake, provided a huge highlight for the Ottobre family in May 2019 when victorious in the G1 Schweppes Oaks at Morphettville, and while she was able to win the G2 Stocks S. last September, her owner always felt she was capable of another elite level success.
She kicks her spring campaign off in what looks a strong edition of the Memsie on Saturday and Ottobre said the signs are there that she can elevate herself to a new level this time in.
"She's going really, really well. She's probably the best she has ever been for David this time in. He's very pleased with where she is at," he told TDN AusNZ.
"She's going really, really well. She's probably the best she has ever been for David this time in." - Tony Ottobre
"She's certainly capable of sticking with these horses. Unfortunately, she has drawn barrier 14, but she generally goes out the back anyway, so she will probably be ridden out the back and come home quite nicely.
"We needed to start her off somewhere and we’d like to start her off with good horses at the top level. She's raced at the top and she deserves to be up there. The horse has won a Group 1, a Group 2 and a Group 3, and 1400 metres is well within her capabilities."
Lynn and Tony Ottobre
The exact spring path for the smart 5-year-old is yet to be determined, with Saturday's performance to be a key factor in deciding whether she targets the elite mares' grade or takes on the best weight-for-age gallopers.
She currently holds a nomination for the G1 Cox Plate in October, while the G1 Empire Rose S., a race she ran fourth in last year, is also on the radar.
"David is working that out at the moment. He'd like to get this race out of the way and plan from there. The Group 1s are where we’d like to be, while the big mares races at the end of the carnival is also where we are interested. But if she tracks out beautifully in her first run, we will look at some of the better races," he said.
Rainbow still following Guineas dream
Princess Jenni might not be the only Group 1 runner this spring for Brideoake and Ottobre, with plans very much on track for promising filly Jenni's Rainbow (More Than Ready {USA}) to head towards the G1 Thousand Guineas.
She could only manage fourth on a very heavy Moonee Valley track at her second start last Saturday, but Ottobre believes she will return to her best back on top of the ground.
"She's got a turn of foot, and if you saw her win on debut, she shortens her stride and quickens and that's how she motors through. She was never able to do that at The Valley. Ethan (Brown - jockey) said she actually tried to do it, but her wheels were spinning," he said.
"She's got a turn of foot, and if you saw her win on debut, she shortens her stride and quickens and that's how she motors through." - Tony Ottobre
"I think David has her pencilled in for a midweek to get her ratings back up and go from there. She may go around Wednesday week.
"We wouldn't have nominated her for the Guineas unless she was up there in the top-class fillies that we have had. She is definitely up there. You will see a different horse next time."
Jenni's Rainbow as a yearling
Like Princess Jenni, who cost NZ$120,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale, Jenni's Rainbow was not an expensive purchase having cost just $75,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale in 2019.
The Jenni name which is attached to the majority of Ottobre's horses is a tribute to daughter Jennifer, who lost her battle with cancer in 2015.
There will be a few more of the 'Jennis' bobbing up this spring, with Jenni Bad Cat (NZ) (Savabeel), an impressive winner at Ballarat in June, not far from returning.
"Peskijen will be off and running soon and is in at Mornington tomorrow. She's got a nice bit of talent and we have a nice one called Pride Of Jenni, and she goes quite nicely too. I think the Jennis are going to a have a good season," he said.
Youngsters readying for life on the track
The next generation are already in the pipeline as well, with Ottobre having purchased five fillies at Karaka this year by Tavistock (NZ), Tivaci, Teofilo (Ire), Sacred Falls (NZ) and Turn Me Loose (NZ).
Gallery: Some of Tony Ottobre's New Zealand Bloodstock yearling purchases
"I've got five over there in New Zealand and they are being trained by Danica Guy. We have just got them in and out of work and preparing them to come to Australia," Ottobre said.
"They will be over here in the next couple of months or so, once the spring carnival is over, and David can start playing around with them and getting them ready for the track.
"I always look for the Classic type, the 1600 metre-plus. I'm not after speed horses. We just want to be able to bring the horses along nicely, and hopefully win one of those Classic races.
"David is really, really good with the types of horses we try to buy and breed. I couldn't be happier with him and he does such a good job."
David Brideoake
A key asset in the development of those horses is Ottobre's Cape Schanck Stud, which features two properties on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.
It also plays host to his broodmare band, but he admits that the success he has had buying rather than breeding is forcing a rethink of his strategy.
"I did have 19 broodmares, but I'll drop back to about a dozen. I only want to keep the ones that perform very well for me. I've been doing this breeding thing for about five years and the fact I have 20, is probably an accumulation of trial and error," he said.
"The breeding side of things is very time consuming and we have had a bit more success with purchasing the yearlings. You can see what you have got when you buy them whereas sometimes when you breed you don't get what you expect."
