Jennifer Jane blitzes Pretty Polly rivals Charlie Johnston’s Jennifer Jane produced a dominant front-running performance to claim a runaway victory the Oliver Brown Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket. The daughter of New Bay won a Wetherby maiden and was narrowly beaten in the Listed Star Stakes at Sandown last season, after which she finished last of seven behind Precise in the Group Three Prestige Stakes at Goodwood. An 11-2 shot for her seasonal reappearance in this 10-furlong Listed event, Jennifer Jane was soon bowling along at the head of affairs in the hands of Silvestre de Sousa and she kicked clear racing into the dip. Sacred Ground, the 2-1 favourite, tried to make inroads inside the final furlong, but the leader was not for catching and had six lengths in hand at the line. Johnston said: “I wasn’t certain the step up in trip would work but a bit like Ancient Egypt the other day you have to be adaptable and think on your feet. “This filly was one of the three fillies we galloped during the Craven meeting and she finished just behind Venetian Lace, so I left Newmarket that day feeling good and knowing she was in good fettle. “The plan at that point was to start in the Michael Seely at York in a couple of weeks but when I saw the entries for this I thought it was worth a look at. “Physically she has grown from two to three and pedigree-wise you would perhaps worry about the trip, but physically she looks like a mile and a quarter filly so it was worth a try and she’s clearly stayed it well.” The Middleham-based trainer is unsure where Jennifer Jane will turn up next, but she looks likely to stick at a mile and a quarter. He added: “She’s in the Irish Guineas but I wouldn’t have thought you would come back two furlongs after that. “She hadn’t wintered great and was quite light through the spring so frustratingly I haven’t been too ambitious with the entries, but that might have to change now. “She’s not in the Oaks but this trip feels right and she has a nice blend of speed and stamina.”
