The Ciaron Maher stable is hoping to get the campaign of Pride Of Jenni underway with a jump-out at Cranbourne on Monday.
Pride Of Jenni is scheduled to compete in the opening heat of the morning over 800m, should the jump-outs on the middle grass go ahead.
Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said Cranbourne escaped an expected deluge on Friday night, although there was heavy rain on Saturday which made for an uncomfortable morning of trackwork.
Turnbull said one thing in their favour was there had been no work on the grass track on which the jump-outs are to be conducted for the past week and Pride Of Jenni was engaged in the first heat.
“We need to get her moving, but we can’t do much about the weather,” Turnbull said.
“The plan, in a perfect world, would be to jump-out Monday. Ideally, she kicks off Monday, has a soft to moderate trial, but she’ll probably have two and that is likely to prep her for the Memsie.
“We haven’t been on the grass for a week, so the ground should be decent, it will just be whether the weather stays away.”
Pride Of Jenni has not been sighted since her stunning win in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick in April.
While not set in concrete, Pride Of Jenni is expected to start her spring campaign in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 31.
Turnbull is looking forward to seeing the mare compete again.
“She looks as good as I’ve seen her for this time of year, when it’s three degrees, howling winds,” Turnbull said.
“She may have strengthened again and therefore she’s got the ability to improve, but one thing that is apparent is she is more seasoned.
“She had a solid preparation at the highest level and once horses are acclimatised to that, I have no doubt they come back and expect a similar thing.
“That’s the biggest and the most positive thing I look forward to, she’s had that experience.”
