Impressive Jeuney Bows Out

| Tue 12 July, 2011

Classy mare Impressive Jeuney has been retired after a disappointing end to what was an outstanding career.

Her second last start in the Hyperion Stakes aptly summarised her career. She led the Hyperion and when challenged by King Kool Kat upon turning for home, she fought doggedly all the way up the straight, refusing to yield, until finally she was overcome by the better horse on the day. She was just half a length from being one of WA's top liners.

Barbie, as she was affectionately called around the stables, was named because of her light chestnut colour and blonde mane. Not only that, she was a little "ditzy" as a youngster and was notorious for stopping and posing where ever she went to take in the scenery.

She was desperately unlucky not to have added more black type to her name. The Jeune mare ran close up placings in the Kingston Town Classic (Group 1), Peters Stakes (Group 3), Champion Fillies (Group 3), Lee Steere Classic (Group 3) and who could forget her vailant effort in last year's Railway Stakes (Group 1), where she sat wide throughout and battled it out to run fifth, beaten less than three lengths.

It wasn't always bridesmaids for Barbie though, she had her fair share of black type success. Her three year old year was outstanding and amongst some special opposition. She began by accounting for the red hot stallion prospect Red Hot Choice in the listed St Leger in December of 2009. From there she blitzed the listed La Trice field over 1800m before resuming on an Oaks campaign in 2010.

Three narrow defeats over a mile and 1800m topped her off for the Listed Natasha Stakes over 2200m which she won in convincing fashion, leading all the way as was her customary role. She was officially "in the zone" careering away with the WA Oaks at her next start, crushing her rivals by almost three lengths.

Leading into the Derby, she was at the end of her campaign and that showed in a fast run affair where she led and set a pace almost three seconds faster than the week prior in the Oaks, only to knock up in need of a spell.

Barbie had paid her dues to her connections in the most convincing fashion. She was the dominant staying filly in WA for the season.

Impressive Jeuney failed to win another race and it was a testament to her toughness that she continued to race at all, fighting off her share of adversity.

She has already attracted a great amount of interest from the big studs, trying to secure her as he career enters the next phase as a broodmare. She will most likely be sent to Starcraft or Starspangledbanner in the hope of breeding the next staying prodigy.

Any queries on the future plans of Impressive Jeuney can be directed towards Kevin Berry at Impressive Racing.