Private Eye primed for Group 1 return

By Brad Bishop and Mandy Cottell 

Veteran poised for comeback from eye injury.

It was a few days later than initially planned, but Private Eye on Monday morning put the finishes touches on his preparations for this Saturday's Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm.

The Joe Pride-trained gelding had a low-key trial over 800 metres at Warwick Farm, settling back in the field and coasting to line in fifth position.

It was the third trial of a campaign geared around a return in this Saturday's $1 million Weight For Age event and while the seven-year-old was not knocked around in the workout, Pride said he had seen enough in his earlier workouts to suggest he was where he needed him.

"I said to Jamie (Walters of Proven Thoroughbreds) the other day before he trialled, 'I'm going to say something outlandish here, I think he is going better than he has ever gone before'," Pride said.

"I realise it's probably a stupid statement to be making about a horse his age and I said that on the day.

"Then it was funny, Nash (Rawiller) came in after riding him and you could see he didn't want to say it as well (but) he goes 'I think he's going better than ever' and I thought, 'that's nice confirmation there Nash'."

The Kingsford Smith Cup will be Private Eye's first start since the Group 2 The Ingham last December.

The son of Al Maher broke a 14-month winning drought the start prior when he won the Group 3 Festival Stakes, which was the 12th win of a career that has netted just short of $12 million in earnings.

Pride said Private Eye was showing no ill-effects from the eye injury that threatened his career and was adamant he could still be a feature race force.

"It was ugly at one point, but it looks absolutely fine," Pride said.

"You can just see a little white dot on it now (and) he has got a very, very small blind spot.

"He's an amazing horse. He has more than done his job and to still have him around at this age is great.

"He's not around to make up the numbers. He is going well."

The Kingsford Smith Cup, for which Chris Waller's Newmarket Handicap winner Joliestar is favourite, is one of two Group 1 races at Eagle Farm this Saturday, accompanied by the $1 million Queensland Derby.