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Can Pride Of Jenni run out the 2200m distance of the Q22?
Connor Scanlon • June 8th, 2026 1:40 pm
Is 2200m too long of a distance for Pride Of Jenni at this stage in her career?
On Sunday, Gareth Hall confirmed with Jenni’s owner, Tony Ottobre, that she will be racing in the Group 2 Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
But with the eight-year-old mare falling short in the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) last-start, questions are being raised around whether the eight-year-old mare can win at the increased distance.
While some pundits are worried, the daughter of the Pride Of Dubai’s regular jockey, Declan Bates, is adamant that the Chris Waller-trained bay will absolutely run out the distance.
Hall: “How's she going to get 2200 metres?”
Bates: “She'll get it, Jenni can do anything, she'll get it!”
Hyland: “Really? Wow!”
Bates: “It'll certainly make the day interesting for a lot of people.”
After Bates left, the conversation continued between Hall and Sam Hyland, with the pair astonished at how confident Bates was around Jenni’s ability at the trip.
Hyland: “I’ll tell you what I took out of that interview with Declan Bates. It was that I was questioning Pride Of Jenni at that sort of trip, 2200m, but he was very confident when he said it won't be a problem. I was like wow!”
Hall: “Yes! It was basically Declan saying how dare I disrespect Pride Of Jenni for saying she won't get 2200 metres.”
The 2025 Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours was looking like the potential winner of the Q22 prior to Jenni’s announcement in the race, but now that conversation has flipped.
The Calvin and Tony McEvoy-trained gelding has had his Queensland preparation spoiled so far by Jenni’s aggressive racing style, running fourth in both the Hollindale Stakes (1800m) and Doomben Cup.
Hall explained that the McEvoy’s will be the “most disappointed” because of Jenni racing in the Q22, as her racing style ruins the pattern of every other horse in the race.
“I think Calvin and Tony McEvoy will be the most disappointed to hear that Jenni's going to be going around in the Q22 because she just stuffs up everyone's racing pattern basically,” Hall stated.
“Poor old Half Yours thought that he wouldn't have to take her on again.
“It’ll be interesting to see if she does get 2200m.”
The Q22 will be run on June 13 at Eagle Farm and is worth $1.2 million.
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