Pride Of Jenni will get her Empire Rose Stakes defence back on track when she barrier trials at Cranbourne on Monday.
Her owner Tony Ottobre said the nine-year-old had recovered from the swelling caused by an infection in one of her legs, which saw her to scratched from Saturday’s King Charles III Stakes.
“Ciaron [Maher] was always confident that she would be right by Monday, and when I spoke to him, he said this is how we are going to win the Empire Rose again,” Ottobre said.
“If she was in Sydney, she might have even been able to run in the race on Saturday.
“But she was going to have to get on a float and have a long trip, and you didn’t know what they could have done to her.
“She hasn’t missed any work, and she will have a spin around Cranbourne to keep her up to the mark.”
Maher will also send Coolmore Stud Stakes favourite The Next Episode to Cranbourne for 800m trial against the likes of Mbube, Hedged and Silver Wedding.
Ottobre remains extremely confident Pride Of Jenni can win a third Empire Rose Stakes and will have a second Group 1 contender on Victoria Derby Day after King Snitz won the Caulfield Classic on Saturday.
“He was very strong at the end of 2000m and has to be a good chance in the Derby on that win,” Ottobre said.
“I decided to send all my colts to Shane Jackson because used to look after the colts for Weiry, and he has done a great job with this bloke.
“He is ex-jumps jockey and they all seem to be great horsemen that get the best of their horses.”
