Jaarffi claims deserved Group 1 title

High-class mare Jaarffi earned the ultimate prize the hard way at Ellerslie where she showcased her talent and tenacity.

Our homebred and raced daughter of Iffraaj reigned supreme in the G1 Otaki Maori WFA Classic to finally add an elite race victory to her CV for trainer Lance Noble, who has admirably guided the six-year-old throughout her career.

Jaarffi has won on five occasions and had previously finished runner-up in both the G1 Zabeel Classic and G1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes.

“I’m absolutely thrilled, she deserved it and she’s not the easiest horse to train,” Noble said.

“A lot of work from the team at home goes into her, it’s just so good to get a Group 1 for Sir Brendan and Lady Jo and Cambridge Stud.”

Partnered as usual by our contracted rider Warren Kennedy, Jaarffi had to overcome a wide run without cover to claim top honours.

“She has started to relax better and was probably better out than than stuck on the fence,” Noble said.

“She’s been a big, gangly and an aggressive horse on the training track and Warren is the only one who gallops her.”

Jaarffi settled back of midfield and produced a sustained finish in the run home to score in a driving finish.

“She’s been deserving of this for a while, she’s been so unlucky and had to do it tough,” Kennedy said.

“She was three wide but she’s got such a huge action and a big heart.”

Jaarffi is the last foal of the late Redoute’s Choice mare Pride Of Tralee, a half-sister to the three-time Group 1 winner Serenade Rose with Trekking another multiple top-flight winner on the pedigree page.

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