KING’S SECRET appears ready to step out of the shadow of his famous older brother PRIVATE EYE after recording his fifth win from just 10 starts at Randwick on Saturday.
Rising sharply in grade to a Benchmark 94 Handicap, KING’S SECRET made light work of his rivals with a 1.7 length victory over the 1100m course.
Rider Zac Lloyd, who was replacing the suspended Andrew Adkins, had the 4yo gelding travelling beautifully in the box seat and when a saloon passage opened at the top of the home straight, the race was at their mercy.
No secrets here!
King’s Secret reigns supreme at Randwick for @PrideRacing and @ZacLloydx! 👑@aus_turf_club @ProvenTbreds pic.twitter.com/v6GuZ1Vt20
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 20, 2025
Trainer Joe Pride has two options for KING’S SECRET’s next assignment – a Benchmark 88 Handicap (1200m) at Randwick on Jan 3 or the Listed Canterbury Sprint (1200m) at Canterbury on New Year’s Day.
Given KING’S SECRET is yet to win beyond 1100m, finding out if he can stretch to six furlongs will be critical in determining future targets.
It was at the Inglis Easter Sale two years ago when Proven and Pride secured KING’S SECRET for the relatively inexpensive price of $100,000. His size, or lack thereof, may have turned off other buyers but his strong bloodlines have certainly come to the fore.
“He looks exactly the same as him (PRIVATE EYE),” Pride said.
“Those dolls that go inside each other (Matryoshka dolls), he’s the miniature one. He’s tiny compared to PRIVATE EYE, but you’ve got to say, at the same point in their careers this horse is probably going just as well as him.”
In his 10 career starts, the son of SHALAA has amassed more than $460,000 in prizemoney and is the reigning BOBS Horse Of The Year. In fact, the only time he has missed a place was when he finished 5th at Rosehill during the winter.
PRIVATE EYE is not the only horse KING’S SECRET has elicited comparisons to. Stablemate IN FLIGHT also claimed BOBS Horse Of The Year honours in 2024 and her progression to become a three-time stakes winner has given Pride confidence that KING’S SECRET’s can follow a similar trajectory.
“He was here with a point to prove today that he was hopefully going to graduate to stakes company and based on what I saw and what I’ve seen in the past, I don’t think there is any doubt about that,” Pride said.
KING’S SECRET becomes Proven’s 18th winner for the season and 4th metropolitan winner this month.
Meanwhile, stablemate ACCREDITED has returned to Sydney after finishing 4th in the Group 3 Lough Neagh Stakes (1300m) at Eagle Farm where rider Daniel Moor reported the gelding resented racing on the firm track. Pride now plans to give 6yo a freshen-up before tackling the Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on January 24.
