PRIVATE EYE’s 14th career success cemented his position as the most prolific winner ever for both Proven Thoroughbreds and trainer Joe Pride.
He didn’t beat a lot, didn’t run flash time and relative to his massive career prizemoney haul, didn’t earn much. But Saturday’s Moonga Stakes (1400m) victory was a significant milestone in PRIVATE EYE’s magnificent career.
He now surpasses SCALLOPINI (13) as Proven’s most abundant winner and Pride’s warrior stayer DESTINY’S KISS (13).
But statistics aside, PRIVATE EYE’s class and longevity are the attributes that have made him one of the most popular horses in Australia.
Under the set weights and penalty conditions, the 8yo was beautifully placed and another confident Nash Rawiller ride put his Group 3 rivals to the sword.
What a warrior he is 💪
Private Eye leads all the way in the G2 Moonga 🖤💚 pic.twitter.com/i4jhzQbq2S
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 18, 2025
“I could have seen him running well in the Everest,” crowed Rawiller, only 20 minutes after KA YING RISING took out the world’s richest turf race.
Having run 2nd, 3rd and 6th (beaten 1.5 lengths) in three previous editions of the Everest, Pride sensibly opted for a lesser challenge this year.
At this stage of his stellar racing life, it’s not about the money. It’s more about keeping the old boy happy and that spirit burning.
We’re talking about a racehorse who represents the epitome of ownership. A monumental athlete who loves the stable routine, PRIVATE EYE has been either beating or competing with the very best year after year, over varying distances at manifold tracks.
With $12.6 million in prizemoney, the cash register has run hot. The thrills including the many near misses, have been immense. Yet the emotions he’s evoked and the affection generated, puts PRIVATE EYE in an extremely rare and elite category of horse.
As Joe Pride says, “He’s part of the family. I know all good things come to an end, but it’ll be a very sad day when PRIVATE EYE is not in Box 19 at carnival time.”
Another highlight on a glorious spring day for the Pride team was CEOLWULF’s second successive KING CHARLES III Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
