By Craig Kerry
Warwick Farm trainer Joe Pride was still scratching his head about Private Eye, even after seemingly unlocking the secret to success again with the seven-year-old in the group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) on Saturday at Rosehill.
Out of form this preparation, Private Eye raced on speed after starting well from gate 14 on the soft 7 track before storming to a three-length win for jockey Nash Rawiller over Robusto.
Nash Rawiller and Private Eye streak away at Rosehill on Saturday.Credit: Bradleyphotos.com.au/Jess Webber
It took Private Eye to almost $12 million in winnings, and kept Pride guessing.
“This is a horse that overthinks stuff,” Pride said.
“I’ve seen him last in an Epsom scrubbed along and won it, then seen him lead a Lightning Stakes. He just keeps me guessing.
“I didn’t want to tip him out because I couldn’t find anything wrong with him. There was the thought of putting him over the jumps a couple of times. I didn’t know what else to do with him.
“I just sort of thought he’ll find the line well again, but what does that mean? I was happy because when he’s switched on, he normally does show [early speed]. The latter half of his career, that’s when he’s at his best.
“It’s great to see him do that. He’s been a marvellous horse to the stable. It’s a long way from the best race he’s ever won, but it’s very satisfying.”
Pride said the $2 million The Ingham (1600m) in two weeks was now on the cards. He said retirement was also on the cards not long ago.
“I generally know when they should be retired,” he said.
“I see signs in them and I never saw that in this horse. I just figured it was getting him into the right race, the conditions on the day.
“At the start of the preparation, if you said he was going to put his best run in on a wet track, I would have said no chance, because he hasn’t done that in a few years. Go figure.”
Molly Floating on air
Apprentice Molly Bourke was rewarded for an intuitive ride on-pace ride on Matt Smith-trained Floating, which gave her a first stakes success, in a comprehensive ATC Cup win.
Floating went forward from gate 11 and was never threatened in the straight on the way to a three and quarter length victory in the listed 2000m race.
Winning jockey Molly Bourke.Credit: Getty Images
“Very exciting,” Bourke said.
“I’m so grateful to Matt and all the owners to have the faith to put an apprentice on in a race like this. It’s just amazing to even have the opportunity.
“He was just a bit up and about today. It probably wasn’t the plan to sit outside the leader, but he jumped so well from that awkward gate and I just knew, the whole race, every time something put a bit of pressure on, I had a handful of horse under me. He just loved the conditions.”
Smith said: “You like to seem them win like that occasionally,” Smith said. “Molly summed it up. He generally doesn’t jump that well, but he jumped good today, so she took the race up and he settled beautifully.”
Eagle lands for Ryan
Trainer Gerald Ryan was unsure of the next target for Eagle Nest after a front-running ride from Tommy Sherry proved the difference in the listed Starlight Stakes (1100m).
The Shalaa mare was third first-up at Randwick in the Choisir Handicap on Melbourne Cup day and started a $19 Sportsbet chance on Saturday.
Starlight Stakes winner Eagle Nest.Credit: Getty Images
Sherry took her to the front, stole a gap early in the straight, and Eagle Nest maintained it for a 1¼-length victory. It was a satisfying black-type result for Ryan.
“It was the race we set her for when she went out in the winter,” Ryan said.
“I thought if she’s going to be a stakes race, this would be the race she’d win.
“I said to [co-trainer] Sterling [Alexiou] this morning, have I got this all wrong? No-one seemed to be giving her a chance and she ran really well against those horses on Melbourne Cup day, and her second-up stats are very good.
“When Tommy rode her on Melbourne Cup day he went too slow on her and she couldn’t quicken, but today he rode her good.”
Lloyd picks up quick winner
All-conquering now former apprentice Zac Lloyd was pleased to grab his first city winner as a senior jockey in the famous Ingham colours when Ring Me Up claimed the 1800m benchmark 78 handicap.
Lloyd, whose apprenticeship ended this week, returned from suspension on Saturday and threatened to win one early before the Chris Waller-trained mare came with an inside run than was strong to hold off Zaphod by half a length.
Jockey Zac Lloyd.Credit: Getty Images
“I’d had three rides, a fourth, a third and a second, so it was coming,” Lloyd said.
“It was good to get a winner for Chris and the Inghams for my first win as a senior, so hopefully many more to come.
Premier Sydney trainer Waller said the two-time champion apprentice was “a shining star”.
Magic win after tough week
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott team capped a difficult week with what they hope will be an omen win from The Playwright in the two-year-olds race to start Saturday’s Rosehill card.
The Written By filly led the 1100m race under Regan Bayliss and proved too tough at the finish to beat Icarian Dream by a neck.
Waterhouse and Bott won the same race last year with Storm Boy, which went on to claim the $3 million MM 2YO Classic, and The Playwright is on the same path.
Saturday’s win was a boost for the stable, who lost Golden Slipper favourite King Kirk in a Randwick pool drowning on Tuesday.
“That’s been tough on everyone,” Bott said. “All the staff and everyone involved and everyone who has had any connection with him, but none more so than the owners.”
Cambar can go the distance, says trainer
Wagga Wagga trainer Gary Colvin expects Cambar to get over the 1400m of the Country Championships next year – just – after remaining unbeaten with a 1100m Highway Handicap win on Saturday.
The three-year-old Pierata colt wore down Miss Rebel on the line to back up two wins on his home track to start his career.
Colvin, who won the Country final in 2022 with Another One, said Cambar was “the real deal” and would be set for the qualifier in March.
“I think this horse is up with [Another One],” Colvin said.
