Highest-rated horse in line to start favourite for the first time in 18 months.
Whether Pride Of Jenni is the most popular horse in Australia is subjective, but what's not for debate is her status as the highest-rated horse in the country.
The daughter of Pride Of Dubai posted a Timeform rating of 129 on the way to Queen Elizabeth Stakes success, which is the highest figure recorded by an Australian horse since Nature Strip ran 131 to win the 2022 King's Stand Stakes.
It is therefore remarkable to think that the best horse in the country has not started favourite in a race in 18 months.
That could change this weekend with Pride Of Jenni clinging to favouritism over Mr Brightside ahead of the $750,000 Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
The last time Pride Of Jenni started favourite was in last year's Group 3 Mannerism Stakes, which was run on February 25, when she finished fourth at $4.20.
That was one of five times she started favourite or equal favourite in her first 17 starts, but in the 12 starts since she has started double-figure odds seven times and only twice started sub-$7.
One of those was the All-Star Mile, which she won as $3.80 second favourite behind Mr Brightside, while her Group 1 wins came at $16 (Empire Rose Stakes), $13 (Champions Mile) and $7 (Queen Elizabeth Stakes).
Pride Of Jenni is not only favourite for the Memsie Stakes, but also the King Charles III Stakes (October 19), Cox Plate (October 26) and both the Champions Mile and Champions Stakes at Flemington on November 9.
The Ciaron Maher-trained mare had been a pronounced favourite in Memsie betting until the finalisation of the field and on Thursday morning was at $2.50 with Mr Brightside at $2.80.
Mr Brightside won at $2.70 favourite last year, one of 15 horses who have won as favourite this century.
Sunline was the hottest of them in that time, having won at 2/7 (or $1.28) in 2000.
She also won at $1.80 in 2001 and is one of eight dual winners, while Ajax – who owns the honour as the shortest-priced winner at 1/12 ($1.08) – is one of two three-time winners, while Lord won the race four times.
Both Pride Of Jenni and Mr Brightside harbour Cox Plate ambitions later this spring, but not since So You Think in 2010 has a Cox Plate winner come through the Memsie Stakes.
Makybe Diva was the last Melbourne Cup winner to take in the Memsie, having done so in 2004 and 2005, while Northerly (2002) is the most recent Caulfield Cup winner to contest the Memsie.
