Trainer Joe Pride is keen for Private Eye to be positioned forward in the Shannon Stakes, suggesting the experienced gelding is the horse to beat if granted that tactical advantage.
Following a strong return with a second placing in the Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield, where he raced handy, the gelding dropped back from a wide gate in the Tramway Stakes and was unable to feature.
However, Pride is anticipating a different scenario from barrier three in Saturday’s 1500-metre Rosehill race.
“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’s three most recent victories, all achieved while carrying substantial weights, saw him racing prominently. These included last year’s Moonga and Lawrence Stakes, both over 1400m at Caulfield, and the 2024 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill over the same distance as Saturday’s event.
If he can secure a similar tactical position, Pride predicts he will be very difficult to run down, particularly when carrying just two kilograms more than the 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 participate in the Shannon Stakes (1500m) and faces pressure to improve on his unplaced first-up run behind Skyhook.
At eight years old, he is one year younger than Private Eye. While he doesn’t possess the same level of class as his stablemate, he has provided his connections with a successful career, earning over $1.7 million in prize money.
“I wouldn’t write him off. He’s a tough horse,” Pride stated. “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.”
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