PRIDE PROUD OF PRIVATE EYE

JOE Pride isn’t one for shying away from making forthright statements regarding his horses and he’s predicting Private Eye will win The Supernova (1400m) at Pakenham.

Pride elected to keep his stalwart at his now pet distance of 1400m and selected the $1 million slot race as an ideal target for his in-form weight-year-old gelding.

Private Eye has had two starts in Melbourne over the spring carnival and took out the G2 P.B Lawrence Stakes (1400m) and the G3 Moonga Stakes (1400m), both at Caulfield in August and October, respectively.

He has also had three starts in Sydney during spring for a second, fourth and a last start fifth in the Russell Balding Stakes over 1300m at Rosehill behind Jimmysstar on November 1.

With regular rider Nash Rawiller riding Gringotts in The Ingham at Randwick, Pride has booked Craig Williams to ride Private Eye.

If successful, Private Eye will take his earnings above $13 million and record his 15th win.

Pride plans on using Private Eye’s now familiar tactic in the second half of his career and racing up on the speed.

“We’ll be doing that again on Saturday and 1400m is absolutely spot on for him. He seems to absolutely love that distance. He’s got a super record at 1400m,” Pride told Racing.Com.

Pride said he has never trained such a tough and durable horse.

Private Eye has won an Epsom Handicap and has also been placed in two Everests and two Stradbroke Handicaps.

“He’s a part of the furniture. I’ll never have another one like him,” he said.

Private Eye is $2.25 favourite with Unibet. Last year’s inaugural winner of The Supernova, Here To Shock is second favourite at $9.