By Mandy Cottell
Luck has deserted Private Eye so far this preparation, but the stars are finally aligning for the top-class sprinter to return to winning form in Brisbane.
The Everest runner-up will step out in Saturday's Victory Stakes over 1200 metres at Eagle Farm where he has drawn ideally in barrier three, looks set to strike a dry track and as the highest-rated runner appears superbly placed under the weight-for-age conditions.
It almost seems too good to be true and that is trainer Joe Pride's one reservation.
"I don't like things that look too good to be true," Pride said.
"But, it does looks spot-on for him so I'm just hoping he runs up to his best and if he does, on facts and figures and the way they've gone in the past, he should be too good for them."
Punters agree and Private Eye has already firmed from his opening quote of $2.50 into $2.30 and is a clear-cut favourite to add the Group 2 sprint to his resume.
It will be his third campaign run after a fourth to In Secret in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington where he ended up on the worst part of the track, before beating one rival home in unsuitable heavy conditions in the T J Smith Stakes when he almost fell near the 600 metre mark.
Pride scratched him from the All Aged Stakes when the track again came up heavy and instead opted for a barrier trial to keep his fitness up to the mark.
He has been pleased with the horse since and is looking forward to getting Private Eye back to Eagle Farm where his three runs have included a Group 2 win and Group 1 placing.
"He's had the three goes there and all his runs were good," Pride said.
"When you look at horses' records that race there, they either go well there or they don't, and he certainly ticks that box."
Private Eye has been nominated for the Doomben 10,000 on May 20 but Pride says he is more likely to keep the horse to the more expansive Eagle Farm circuit with his next run slated to be in the Kingsford Smith Cup a week later.
The Victory Stakes has attracted a field of nine with the Robert Heathcote-trained pair of Rothfire and Prince Of Boom leading the charge for the locals, while import A Case Of You adds interest after his eye-catching Australian debut when fifth to Imperatriz in the William Reid Stakes in March.