Despite Private Eye finishing seventh in the Champions Mile, Joe Pride believes the sky is the limit for his talented galloper when he makes his return to racing next year.
The Warwick Farm-based trainer was delighted with the five-year-old’s preparation, which ended with the mile feature at Flemington on November 5.
It wasn’t the end to his campaign that he hoped for, but brilliant wins in the Nature Strip Stakes and Gilgai Stakes, bookending a second-place finish in The Everest, still left Pride smiling.
So much so, he believes the five-year-old could soon become the best horse who has been under his care.
“I’ve been training for 20-odd years now and he’s one of the best horses I’ve had, and hopefully he ends up the best over the next couple of years,” Pride told HorseBetting.com.au.
Before the Champions Mile, Pride said he would consider next year’s Cox Plate for Private Eye if he was to step up and win the $3 million Group 1 race.
He certainly wasn’t embarrassed, finishing 2 ¼ lengths behind the winner Alligator Blood for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
But as a result, Pride will revise his lofty aims and look at getting Private Eye back to what he does best – excelling over shorter distances.
“Super prep. Unfortunately, he couldn’t see it out (on November 5) and run a mile into the prep,” he said.
“But he’s gone back to the paddock and will be back for the sprints in the autumn.”
There is no doubt Private Eye did not get the recognition he deserved going into The Everest on October 15, where he was a $12 outsider.
Previously, he showed his quality with a second place to star sprinter Alligator Blood in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap on June 11.
That was before he went on to win the Gilgai Stakes by 2 ¼ lengths over 1200m first-up at Flemington on October 1.
Flying under the radar certainly did not worry Pride.
And the Sydney trainer said he wanted Private Eye to have a strong back end to his spring campaign after his runner-up in the Stradbroke, with Brenton Avdulla aboard.
Private Eye met that challenge, with Avdulla also the jockey for his Nature Strip Stakes victory on October 29, Pride wanting that rider-horse association to continue.
“I don’t worry about that (flying under the radar) too much. He (Private Eye) won $4 million (over his four-race preparation),” Pride said.
“He came back really well (from Brisbane), and the Stradbroke form ended up being pretty hot form, along with Alligator Blood.
“He came back and had a good prep. (He’s in the) paddock now for six weeks.
“(Brenton has) got association with us with Private Eye, and hopefully we can continue that on.”
Meanwhile, Pride – renowned for getting the best out of veteran horses – is hoping to continue doing so with nine-year-old Eduardo.
The sprinter has had a remarkable career with almost $7.3 million and two Group 2 victories to his name.
But Pride was disappointed with his recent four-race preparation.
After winning the Group 3 Concorde Stakes first-up on September 3, Eduardo then finished fourth, 11th and sixth respectively in The Shorts, Everest and Nature Strip Stakes.
Indeed, Pride had every right to be disappointed, because he observed before The Everest that Eduardo was “in the best condition of his life”, despite his age.
That opinion has not changed, which is why Pride expects more consistent performances when his star sprinter returns next year.
“He is (still in great condition), but race performances count the most,” he said.
“He won one this prep, but overall he was disappointing.
“So hopefully he can be better in the autumn.”
Currently spelling like Private Eye, Eduardo’s autumn preparation next year could be the last of his excellent career.
“He’ll want to go better than he did this spring,” Pride said.
“But he’s nine now and obviously in the twilight of his career.
“Hopefully there’s another win or two there for him.”
More horse racing news
