His daughter’s tragic death from cancer spurred Tony Ottobre into racing, with Cox Plate hope Pride Of Jenni.
In a richly lived life, Tony Ottobre has only one lasting regret. In 2015, daughter Jenni was fighting brain cancer, but with a doctor’s blessing paused a promising new treatment to get married to long-time boyfriend Luke. Before the honeymoon was over, her tumour had regrown to the size of a lemon and she was in a wheelchair. Five months later, she died, aged 30.
In a stakes race on Melbourne Cup day a year after Jenni died, one called Jennifer Lynn came from last at the top of the straight to win in the last stride.“We got bigger and bigger, and added more horses, and the more fun we had with the horses, the more comfort they gave us and the more we purchased,” he said. He now has 70 at his Cape Schanck spread.
Trainer Pat Burke told Ottobre he was too heavy boned to make it as a jockey, and so it proved. The stewards also had reservations. One day, “they told me to go back out in the country and learn how to ride,” he said. “Which was fair enough.” But it was all experience.Next was a stint as a strapper and horse-breaker for Colin Hayes at his Lindsay Park stud in South Australia, and more salutary lessons. One day, Hayes asked him to rake a gravel yard.
By the time Ottobre decided to specialise in LED lighting for vehicles, the internet had replaced library books. For Ottobre, it was a boon. You could trust the internet then, he said. Ottobre’s studies led him to a principle. “I learned that quality is the most important, price not so much,” he said. He built up a business that eventually employed 40 people here and in Europe.
In adulthood, she worked in the family business and travelled widely. The cancer diagnosis came as a shock, of course. “We cried for a couple of days, and then we said, OK, we’ll dust ourselves off and tackle this,” Ottobre said. “They’re not going to take my daughter away without a fight.” He’s sure of one thing, that the long-term answer is immunotherapy. “That’s the only way we can cure cancer, as far as I can see,” he said. “Your body has to kill it.”Jenni outran her original prognosis by more than three years. She died in 2015, a week after Cup day. The family had a beach house and a boat at Mt Martha and Jenni had loved both. Devastated, they repaired there to mourn. “We tried for nearly a year, but it was no longer a happy place,” Ottobre said.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Operation Cox Plate: The Gai Waterhouse plan that could stop Pride Of Jenni in her tracksUntil now, form experts have been querying how Saturday’s elite field could catch Pride Of Jenni around the tight Valley circuit if she skipped away to a 10-length lead.
Read more »
Operation Cox Plate: The Gai Waterhouse plan that could stop Pride Of Jenni in her tracksUntil now, form experts have been querying how Saturday’s elite field could catch Pride Of Jenni around the tight Valley circuit if she skipped away to a 10-length lead.
Read more »
Matildas hero Ellie Carpenter desperate for Tony Gustavsson’s successor to deliver results7NEWS brings you the latest local news from Australia and around the world. Stay up to date with all of the breaking sport, politics, entertainment, finance, weather and business headlines. Today's news, live updates & all the latest breaking stories from 7NEWS.
Read more »
Tony Abbott honours Israel in October 7 anniversary speech outside Parliament HouseFormer prime minister Tony Abbott has expressed his solidarity with the Jewish people of Australia as they reflect on the anniversary of the Hamas terror attacks on Israel on October 7.
Read more »
Tony Burke defends security officials amid allegations a Palestinian visa holder has links to HamasHome Affairs Minister Tony Burke has defended the country's security agencies amid questions about the granting of a visa to a Palestinian man with alleged links to Hamas figures.
Read more »
Australia expects as Tony Popovic takes charge for Socceroos’ China crunchDrawing on four decades in the game, the new coach looks for ‘a lot of belief’ to rescue World Cup 2026 campaign
Read more »