The May 23 Doomben Cup (G1) has drawn a total of seven acceptors as Pride Of Jenni bids to continue her racing renaissance with a fifth group 1 win in the feature race at Doomben. In typical swashbuckling style, Ciaron Maher's mighty mare led all the way at the Gold Coast to win the Hollindale Stakes (G2) at her last start, and the first four home in that race will again line up in the Doomben Cup.
Pride Of Jenni has been assigned barrier 4 in the AU$1 million contest, with Hollindale Stakes placegetters Birdman and She's a Hustler drawn either side of her in gates 5 and 3, respectively.
Melbourne Cup (G1) champion Half Yours will jump from the outside alley in the hands of his regular rider Jamie Melham, with Vauban and the Chris Waller pair Kovalica and hat trick-seeking Asterix completing the field. Hall of Fame jockey Jimmy Cassidy is tipping Half Yours to come out on top, provided Melham can get her tactics right.
"Half Yours is the one I would like to be on in the Doomben Cup," Cassidy said. "You need to have a plan to try and beat Pride Of Jenni and if I was riding him, he would only look like the winner in the last 50 meters or so. When Pride Of Jenni is stopping, Half Yours will be the one finishing fast. You don't win by taking Pride Of Jenni on from the 1,000 meters or at the home turn, you beat her by running her down at the bottom of the straight."
