‘Flat track bully’: Pride expects Private Eye to take catching

Joe Pride is keen for Private Eye to be put into the race early in the Shannon Stakes and says if that happens, the veteran is the testing material.

After resuming with a terrific second in the Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield last month when he raced handy, the gelding drifted back from a wide draw in the Tramway Stakes and never featured.

But from gate three in Saturday’s 1500m Rosehill contest, Pride is anticipating a different scenario.

“It has been a long time since he’s raced well from off the pace, and this is a horse who came from nearly last to win an Epsom and from dead-last to win a Queensland Guineas,” Pride said.

“He was a different horse in the early part of his life. Now he’s a bit of a flat track bully and likes to get on-speed with no horses in front of him.

“I think he’ll get the right scenario there on Saturday.”

Private Eye has raced close to the pace and lumped big weights at his three most recent wins in last year’s Moonga and Lawrence Stakes, both over 1400m at Caulfield, and the 2024 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill over Saturday’s circuit.

If he can find himself in a similar set-up, Pride predicts he will be hard to get past, especially carrying just two kilos more than favourite Skyhook.

“I was giggling to myself thinking if the real Private Eye turns up, some of these horses won’t see which way he goes,” Pride said.

“I could point to three or four runs from his last ten, maybe more, that would win this race.

“I think it’s just a matter of him jumping, putting himself in a good spot, and he’ll take care of the rest.”

Stablemate Estadio Mestalla will also take his place in the Shannon Stakes (1500m) and will be on notice to improve on his unplaced first-up performance behind Skyhook.

At eight, he is Private Eye’s junior by a year and while he lacks his barn mate’s class, he’s taken connections on a wonderful ride, banking more than $1.7 million in prizemoney.

“I wouldn’t write him off. He’s a tough horse,” Pride said.

“He doesn’t win that often, but he runs so many seconds in good races. He’s never far away and I don’t think he’ll be far away on Saturday.”