The only danger to Pride Of Jenni this spring

Prominent owner John O’Neill says Via Sistina is the only danger to Pride Of Jenni this spring.

Via Sistina, trained by Chris Waller, stepped out on Tuesday morning in a Rosehill trial as the Ranvet Stakes winner prepares for a big spring carnival.

The two stars last met in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes where it was Pride Of Jenni who stomped her rivals into the turf in one of the most breathtaking wins in a Group 1 race.

They both spelled after that run and look set to tackle each other this spring carnival in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.

And if they head that way, O’Neill says only Via Sistina can beat the Ciaron Maher-trained Pride Of Jenni.

“I think the only danger for Pride Of Jenni is clearly that Via Sistina,” O’Neill told SENTrack’s Giddy Up.

“I don’t think Fangirl can beat Pride Of Jenni, I do think Fangirl is a wonderful horse but I just think Via Sistina is a world-class, elite horse.

“You’ll have a pretty good understanding how Via Sistina has come back, I think Via Sistina and Pride Of Jenni will be the two horses that will dominate the weight-for-age ranks and the races that they run in over the carnival.

“If that’s key races in Sydney and they then meet in the Cox Plate, that will be the best race.

“You’ve also got to remember that Mr Brightside is getting older and no doubt he’s a star, but he’s old.”

SEN’s Gareth Hall says Via Sistina, owned by Yulong, will likely have one run in Sydney before heading down to Melbourne for a Cox Plate program that has previously been undertaken by four-time Cox Plate winner and champion mare Winx.

“Talking to (Yulong GM) Vin Cox they other day, she’ll go to the Winx Stakes and then she’ll go to Melbourne straight after that and race in the Makybe Diva into a Turnbull Stakes and then into the Cox Plate,” Hall added.

“It will be like a Winx program.”

James McDonald is the likely rider for Via Sistina this spring with Declan Bates to resume duties on Pride Of Jenni.

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