Despite a somewhat tumultuous journey from New Zealand, involving three attempts and a specially constructed freight container, the filly Jenni In Rome has settled in seamlessly with trainers Richard and Will Freedman.
The two-year-old was acquired from the Karaka Sale, but faced an unexpected hurdle when she resisted boarding a plane for the usual cross-Tasman transit.
“It took them three goes to get her from New Zealand here on the plane,” Will Freedman recounted. “These big New Zealand men were trying to lift her on, and she was like, ‘nope, not having a bar of it’. She just refused to go anywhere near it. They ended up putting her on (the plane) without the container, and then they built it around her. There was one point where I felt like I was going to have to tell the owners I was going to train her remotely in New Zealand. But she has come over here and been bombproof.”
Following promising showings in her barrier trials, Jenni In Rome made a strong closing effort from midfield to secure third place in the Kirkham Plate (1000m) on her debut outing.
She appeared poised for victory midway up the straight but ultimately tired in the final 100m. Freedman anticipates that this initial race experience will significantly benefit her performance in Saturday’s Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill, though an outside barrier presents a challenge.
“She had a really healthy, big blow after her first start and I think she needed that run,” Freedman stated. “She’s come through the run well. She looks like a pre-Christmas two-year-old. I remember looking at her in the yard in the Kirkham, and she was smaller in stature than a lot of her counterparts, but quite often those are the two-year-olds that really do thrive at this time of year.”
Although this will be Jenni In Rome’s first race at Rosehill, she trains at the track and recently completed a course proper gallop there on Monday.
Her regular jockey, Jason Collett, was aboard for the workout and will partner her again in the Golden Gift. The race’s substantial $1 million prize money ensures that the top two finishers will likely qualify for the prestigious Golden Slipper next year.
“She got a look around the course proper on Monday, which is a big thing for these two-year-olds. She’s not going to have to go to an unfamiliar environment,” Freedman added. “It’s all about the little details that make a big difference in the end.”
The Golden Gift has a full field of 14 runners plus four reserves, with Jenni In Rome being one of seven participants who have already raced.
For those looking to back a contender, consider the competitive racing odds available at Australian betting sites.