A happy Jeff Bristow holding the Group Three JRA Plate that Bois D’Argent won in April.
Ghostly grey Bois D’Argent was unable to defend his Doomben Cup over the weekend, finishing fifth in a 12-horse field. Hoop Ryan Maloney deployed different tactics on Saturday, electing to pull the horse just off the speed rather than let it roll along in front as it usually does.
Fan favourite and the race’s second elect Pride of Jenni ($5) went to the lead as expected, hoping to break their hearts as she did so famously in the 2024 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
She led unopposed with Chris Waller-trained Osipenko taking its trail, the pair opened up about three lengths on a wall of horses including Bois D’Argent, Miss Jolene and Eliyass. The grey, who usually wins races with his ability to maintain a solid pace, showed a fine and uncharacteristic turn of foot in the straight, getting on the back of race favourite Antino ($3) and getting a lovely cart into the race.
The favourite was a class above his rivals, gapping the field and getting home by just about three lengths, followed in by Bois D’Argent’s stablemate Fawkner Park ($8.50), filling out the placings was Waller’s Kovalica ($6.50). The only other horse to beat the Cootamundra-owned boy in the run home was former Group One winner Militarize.
Owner Jeff Bristow thought his boy ran a terrific race.
“He ran a great race. 200m from home we thought we were going to run in the top three, but he just died on his run, it was such a frenetic pace set by Pride of Jenni. She just went out lickety-split. That’s probably why the race was run in record time,” Bristow said.
“No one would have beat Antino, that is one hell of a horse. It’s an equal favourite for the Cox Plate. The only thing that would be against Antino in the Cox Plate is Moonee Valley being such a tight track and he comes from behind. He’d want to have a lot of luck in the run, but he’s good enough to do it.
“He likes to go to the lead or likes to sit behind someone, but that wasn’t going to happen on Saturday with her.
“He’s going to run in three weeks in a race called the Q22 at Eagle Farm. It’s worth over a million dollars. He ran in it last year and got third. I think Fawkner Park will win it again this year as that run on Saturday was pretty darn good. It’s over 2200m. The Doomben Cup was over 2000m.
“When Bois D’Argent won the Mayor’s Cup it was over 2000m. He did run 4th in the Caulfield Cup over 2400m.
“He won the JRA Plate, which is at Group 3 level over 2000m. He won it by three and a half lengths. He went all the way.
“I’m over the moon. I never thought I’d be on a ride like this in my whole life. All the other owners are the same, I wouldn’t say we are all battlers, but we’re just average people, we just bought into this horse and here we are travelling around the country watching him in Group Ones.
“Yeah, I think he will go for another year if he’s sound. We’ve always said if he looks like he’s not going to flash then we will retire him. We are all on that as a collective, no one wants to push him any further than he can go. He’s sound and he’s rock hard fit.
“Ryan Maloney said that had Pride of Jenni not gone out so hard, he’d have been in the first three no worries.
“It was all set for the back markers.”
“When he ran in the Q22 last year I went up to see him in the tie-up stalls before the race and the strapper brought him over to me and I gave him a pat and all that sort of stuff and here’s this massive red lip-stick kiss on the side of his face.
“The ladies love him. I think I’ve said it before, you could lead him around your house and we wouldn’t break a thing. He’s just such an easygoing animal. We get tremendous joy out of him.
“I’ve got a few going at the moment. I had one have a jump out this morning. His name is Rock Hard Love. He is by Pierro out of a mare called Aqua D’amore. He’ll be running next Wednesday at Doomben. Garry Doughty trains him.
“I’ve got one running on Thursday night down at Packenham called Terriflying. He’s by Territory. My mate in Seymour bred him and offered me a 10% buy-in so I shook his hand off.
“They’ve both won their last starts. Terriflying won at Kilmore about three weeks ago, Rock Hard Love won the last race at Eagle Farm at the juicy odds of $12. I didn’t get on it as much as I should have but I had a tidy win.
“I’ve got one with Chris Waller called Misstress of Illusion. She’s in the paddock at the moment and I’ve got another one running on Saturday in the Lord Mayors Cup at Rosehill, he’s called Sir Chartwell and Annabel has got him.
“He’s a French import. He’s had three trials and he has not shown a single thing. He came out as a colt and was gelded. I don’t know how he will go because he’s run last in his three trials, I know trials aren’t much to go by, but we’ll see what happens on Saturday.”
-Tully Potts
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