Another electric performance by PRIVATE EYE in the Nature Strip Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday saw his career earnings balloon to more than $6 million.
The outside barrier around the tricky 1300m Rosehill circuit had dented our confidence but a superb ride by Brenton Avdulla allowed PRIVATE EYE to slot in with cover towards the rear of the field.
Upon straightening PRIVATE EYE looked to have a task ahead of him as the likes of MAZU dashed for home, but the horse’s freakish acceleration catapulted him to the lead in the blinking of an eye before winning eased down by 1.25 lengths. His last 600m was covered in a scintillating 33.18 seconds.
The performance had tongues wagging with some pundits declaring him one of, if not the best horse in the country.
PRIVATE EYE lets rip and puts on a show in the Nature Strip Stakes!@PrideRacing @brentonavdulla @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/ND5bZRrA7F
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 29, 2022
The most remarkable thing about PRIVATE EYE is his versatility. An Epsom Handicap winner last season, he has reinvented himself this preparation as a top-class sprinter. However, trainer Joe Pride is keen to extend the son of AL MAHER out to 1600m again in next Saturday’s $3 million Champion’s Mile at Flemington.
That race is likely to be the last of the year for the 5YO gelding. His targets in 2023 could range anywhere from 1200m to 2000m – so we certainly won’t be short of options!
Amidst the euphoria of PRIVATE EYE’s victory, stablemate STOCKMAN put in a cracking Melbourne Cup trial when hitting the line strongly in the Rosehill Gold Cup over 2000m. Racing in Sydney on the Saturday before the Cup on Tuesday was a deliberate plan by Joe and one which will have the NZ bred gelding at peak fitness for the gruelling 3200m that awaits him.
Stockman is likely to get his preferred track conditions with rain currently falling in Melbourne and he also had a favourable outcome at Saturday night’s barrier draw when coming up with barrier 2 in the field of 24.
Elsewhere on Saturday, one of Proven Thoroughbred’s most consistent mares, BETTER GET SET, saluted at Eagle Farm over 1200m.
The win was thoroughly deserved given she had raced without much luck in recent starts. And at the 200m mark of Saturday’s race, it appeared as though the racing gods were going to conspire against the daughter of BETTER THAN READY once more.
Fortunately, rider Ben Thompson was able to extricate the 5YO mare from behind a wall of horses and deliver an overdue win for her connections.
Once in the clear, BETTER GET SET had the race in her keeping, crossing the line with 1.25 lengths to spare on the runner-up. In 21 career starts she has now earned prizemoney just shy of $250,000.
Better Get Set gets the gap and puts them away. @BenThompson2102 @odearacing @BrisRacingClub pic.twitter.com/G3hNLf0YFP
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 29, 2022
Largely thanks to the deeds of PRIVATE EYE and STOCKMAN, Proven is enjoying an unprecedented year of prizemoney with almost $7.3 million banked.