How Tony Ottobre's tribute to daughter led him to Pride Of Jenni and $10 million in prizemoney
Tony Ottobre caught the horse racing bug after Jennifer Lynn won a stakes race on Melbourne Cup day in 2016.
He'd only brought his first thoroughbred, JenniO, in 2011. It was a gift to his daughter, Jennifer, who had just been diagnosed with brain cancer that would take her life four years later aged only 30.
JenniO was the first of about 30 race horses Tony and his wife Lynn would buy and name in their daughter's honour. Tony believes Jennifer was cheering Jennifer Lynn home that Melbourne Cup day.
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After that win, the Ottobre family threw themselves into racing. They sold the family home, bought 20 hectares at Cape Schanck on the southern tip of Port Phillip Bay, and now own more than 70 horses.
Declan Bates on Pride Of Jenni in the Ladbrokes Feehan Stakes at Moonee Valley in September. Getty
Far and away the most successful of the Ottobres' horses is Pride Of Jenni. She's won them more than $10 million in prizemoney.
Her most famous victory came in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick in April, where she at one point led by about 100 metres in a run trainer Ciaron Maher said would never be seen again.
Last Saturday, she ran second in the King Charles III stakes, and a week later is among the favourites to win the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.
Maher said he had no concerns about her backing up.
Tony Ottobre, owner of Pride Of Jenni. Getty
"The stable is in great form in the majors and we've got our fingers crossed it'll continue in the Cox Plate with Pride Of Jenni," he told ACM Racing.
"I thought her run in the King Charles was a great effort. She put in 100 per cent but it's in the back of my mind she'll be better suited to the 2040 metres around the valley.
"She's come back in great order and appears not to have suffered any issues after her run in the King Charles. We gave her a bit of light work on the treadmill on Thursday morning and after that work she put her head straight into the feed bin which is a great sign.
"I'm really happy with her. She never lost much weight in the trip down from Bong Bong and that's another great sign that she's feeling well within herself."
At 10.30am AEDT, Japanese import Prognosis is favourite with the bookies at $3.60, but Pride Of Jenni was $3.90 and shortening.
The Cox Plate jumps at 5.10pm AEDT.