Godolphin mare Zardozi well backed to beat Pride Of Jenni in Peter Young Stakes
Punters have been happy to back Godolphin mare Zardozi to roll comeback mare Pride Of Jenni in Saturday’s Group 2 Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield.
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Punters think Godolphin mare Zardozi can upset the Pride Of Jenni comeback party in Saturday’s Group 2 Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield.
Melbourne Racing Club chairman John Kanga said the club would shout the bar if Pride Of Jenni managed to win first-up following the mare’s short-lived retirement in the spring.
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However, Zardozi has firmed from $2.40 to $2.10 to become favourite in early betting on the $500,000 race.
Zardozi will step up to 1800m in the Peter Young Stakes after making ground second-up over 1600m when third in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes at Flemington.
Godolphin’s Melbourne foreman Nacim Dilmi said the 2023 VRC Oaks winner had done well since the Blamey Stakes but would improve again leading into the Australian Cup later this month.
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“Our filly, she’s going really well and it was a good run last start,” Dilmi said.
“We went to see her run well heading to the Australian Cup two weeks later.
“We just want to see her finish well and if she wins, that’s even better.
“We want to see her run well, and if she does, she’s going to run a big race in the Australian Cup.”
Zardozi will be one of six runners in the Peter Young Stakes, which Godolphin trainer James Cummings has won twice, with Avilius and Cascadian in 2019 and 2022 respectively.
Dilmi said Pride Of Jenni’s frontrunning style added an extra element to the Peter Young Stakes.
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“It’s going to be an interesting race to see how far Pride Of Jenni wants to go and what kind of order she’s back in,” he said.
Godolphin has won the last two Australian Cups with grand performer Cascadian.
Zardozi could form part of a two-horse Godolphin attack on the Flemington weight-for-age feature along with All-Star Mile winner Tom Kitten.
Tom Kitten has thrived in his two Melbourne autumn carnival runs but Dilmi said Cummings and the Godolphin racing team had not confirmed the gelding as an Australian Cup runner.
Dilmi said Tom Kitten remained at Godolphin’s Flemington base but could head back to Sydney for upcoming assignments.
“James and the team will make a decision but at this stage, he’s proceeding towards the Australian Cup,” Dilmi said.
“They’ll decide in the next few days whether he goes back to Sydney.
“He’s got the George Ryder (Stakes) and he’s got hardly any weight in the Doncaster so there’s a few options.”
Originally published as Godolphin mare Zardozi well backed to beat Pride Of Jenni in Peter Young Stakes
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