Pride Of Jenni and Antino impress in Cranbourne jumpout ahead of Memsie Stakes clash

Top Queensland galloper Antino impresses trainer Tony Gollan and jockey Jamie Kah in a jumpout against star mare Pride Of Jenni at Cranbourne on Monday.

Pride of Jenni shades Antino in their Cranbourne jumpout on Monday. Picture: Screengrab

A cold meeting greeted Queensland trainer Tony Gollan but Antino’s effort in a Cranbourne jumpout on Monday morning quickly warmed him up.

Antino stepped out on a foggy five-degree morning but impressed with his effort when closing to finish on terms with super mare Pride Of Jenni in an 800m jumpout.

The pair will meet in Saturday week’s Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

Gollan said Antino’s jumpout with Jamie Kah aboard was exactly what he wanted to see heading into the first heavyweight contest of the Melbourne spring.

“He’s going really well and we were very happy with the jumpout,” Gollan said.

“Jamie was really happy with him.

“He’ll be up against her in the Memsie Stakes so it was good to get a good guide to how he’s going.”

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TAB rated Pride Of Jenni as the $2.15 favourite while Antino is an $11 chance in its pre-nominations Memsie Stakes betting.

Interestingly, Antino finished ahead of Pride Of Jenni at their only other meeting in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield last spring.

Antino was narrowly beaten from a wide draw in the $1m event while Pride Of Jenni finished more than three lengths away at the start before her breakout wins in the Empire Rose Stakes and Champions Mile during the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington.

Gollan said Antino was fit enough to perform well in the Memsie Stakes and would improve into his second-up run in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington on September 14.

Happy Monday! 😃

3x G1 winner, Pride Of Jenni, wins her jump out narrowly from [e-mail]/4Cef5Z2SvI

— Racing.com (@Racing) August 18, 2024

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“He still has the residual fitness left from the Brisbane carnival so the 1400m will suit him first-up then he’ll improve over 1600m on the big track at Flemington after that,” Gollan said.

Antino won the Group 2 Victory Stakes over 1200m first-up last time in but produced midfield efforts in the Kingsford Smith Cup and Stradbroke Handicap during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.

Gollan said better racing surfaces in Melbourne would bring out the best in Antino during the spring.

“He didn’t quite appreciate those shifting tracks we had in Brisbane but he’ll be a lot better this time in,” Gollan said.

Antino is one of several runners from the Gollan stable that will spend the spring carnival in Melbourne.

Smart sprinter Golden Boom will be the first of Gollan’s spring team to appear when the five-year-old runs at The Valley on Saturday.

Originally published as Pride Of Jenni and Antino impress in Cranbourne jumpout ahead of Memsie Stakes clash