Princess Jenni (NZ) Outstanding in Oaks

Rising star filly Princess Jenni (NZ) (High Chaparral), who was bought for $120,000 at the 2017 Premier Sale at Karaka, took her exciting career to a new level in Saturday’s $500,000 Group 1 Schweppes Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville.

The David Brideoake-trained filly went into the fillies’ classic as a stylish winner of three of her five career starts, headed by the Group 3 Alexandra Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on March 22.

On Saturday she took another big step up. Ridden patiently by Damien Oliver, she raced midfield and struck traffic trouble more than once.

However, when a gap opened towards the inside in the straight, Oliver and Princess Jenni seized their chance. Princess Jenni showed a superb turn of foot, bursting through to win by three-quarters of a length.

“She’s a good filly and she’s been in great form,” Oliver said. “I was able to utilise her good barrier today. We were a bit hemmed in coming to the turn, but I was able to come back in and follow some horses through.

“She’s prevailed and was just too strong in the end.”

Raced by Tony and Lynn Ottobre and their son Mick, Princess Jenni is named after the couple’s late daughter.

She has now had six starts for four wins, a placing and A$514,935 in prizemoney – more than four and a half times her purchase price.

“She has a great turn of foot, and she sprinted when the gap came today,” Brideoake’s racing manager Alex Woodhams said.

In an outstanding result for Karaka graduates, House of Cartier (Alamosa) produced a strong finish wider out on the track for third. She was passed in at the 2017 Premier Sale with a $250,000 reserve. She has now had 10 starts for two wins, two placings and $94,510, with a Group 1 placing to go alongside an earlier runner-up finish in the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie.