News

St Gotthard, Pride Of Jenni shine on the Gold Coast

9th May 2026

An up-and-coming star 2YO colt and everybody’s favourite front-running 8YO mare stole the show on a big day of racing on the Gold Coast today as the Brisbane Winter Carnival kicked into gear.

Exciting juvenile and $2.7m Easter graduate St Gotthard (Snitzel) kept the unbeaten start to his career intact with a breathtaking victory in the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic.

And marvel Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) did it again, displaying her customary front-running style to lead by up to 20 lengths mid race and hold on to win the G2 Hollindale Stakes.

St Gotthard was having just his second career start today, having debuted with a stylish victory at Warwick Farm.

The step up to Group racing came as no hindrance to the Chris Waller-trained youngster, trouncing his rivals and in doing so, firmed into a $5 favourite with Ladbrokes for next month’s G1 JJ Atkins at Eagle Farm.

Coolmore bought St Gotthard – a brother to fellow Easter graduate and G1 winner-turned-stallion Switzerland – for $2.7m at Easter last year from the draft of Arrowfield, who bred the colt with Cloros Bloodstock.

“St Gotthard is a serious 2YO,’’ Coolmore’s John Kennedy said.

“We knew from the moment we saw him at Riverside at last year’s Easter sale he was a colt we really wanted, obviously Switzerland had already done the job for us and he was just such an amazing looking yearling and has developed into an even better looking 2YO.

“He did that with absolute ease today, it was only his second career start, [trainer] Chris [Waller] hasn’t rushed him and we’re starting to reap the rewards of that now.

“We think he’s got a big future ahead of him and hopefully we see him standing alongside his brother on the Coolmore stallion roster in years to come.’’

Later on the Gold Coast program Pride Of Jenni stunned racegoers yet again, securing a 13^th career victory and taking her prizemoney to $12.3m with another spectacular front-running display in the Hollindale.

As is always the case with Pride Of Jenni (pictured), it’s not just the fact she wins races but how she does it – jockey Declan Bates led by up to 20 lengths today and despite looking like she was tiring in the home straight, she held off her rivals for another comprehensive victory.

Tony and Lynn Ottobre of Cape Schanck Stud purchased Pride Of Jenni for $100,000 at the Classic Yearling Sale, from the Segenhoe draft.

She is bred by Trelawney Stud and the Taylor Family Trust.

Pride Of Jenni’s trainer Ciaron Maher was again in awe of his mighty mare.

“You know pretty quick with her when she’s on and when she stepped well, I thought ‘that’s nice, I think we might be on today’ and we were,’’ Maher said.

“You would think the Gold Coast track would suit her style and it certainly did.

“I was mindful that she had three very tough runs before today and just given how well she went first-up, I thought the only thing I could do wrong was to over-train her so we just kept ticking her along. She’s been up here on the Gold Coast and at Bong Bong Farm, two pretty nice establishments and everybody has done a great job with her.

“She’s sprinting flat out from the 1000m, she’s used to doing that and being off the bridle a long way out and she was just super from there, it’s great, fantastic.’’

Pride Of Jenni will continue on in Queensland and is now a $5 chance with Ladbrokes for the G1 Doomben Cup in a fortnight.