Brisbane Group 1s on cards for Private Eye

Private Eye’s penchant for Eagle Farm has trainer Joe Pride thinking of extending the talented sprinter’s Brisbane carnival campaign.

Pride’s long-term plan to prepare Private Eye for the $15m The TAB Everest in October virtually begins at Eagle Farm on Saturday in the Group 2 $300,000 Victory Stakes (1200m).

But Pride wants to give Private Eye another two starts, both at Eagle Farm, before the gelding finishes his five-year-old season.

“Private Eye likes Eagle Farm so he will run Saturday then go to the Kingsford-Smith Cup (Group 1, $1m over 1300m on May 27),’’ Pride said.

“If he is going well then I think we will be lining him up in the Stradbroke Handicap (Group 1 $3m over 1400m on June 10).

“We missed the autumn in some ways by not being able to go around in the All Aged Stakes so I don’t mind giving him another two or three runs.’’

Pride pointed out $6.2m earner Private Eye wintered in Queensland after he ran second (to Alligator Blood) in the Stradbroke Handicap last year then returned in spring to finish second in The Everest behind Giga Kick.

“There’s no reason he can’t do that again,’’ Pride said.

“He went to the Gilgai Stakes first-up in the spring last year then ran in The Everest.

“I’m happy to follow a similar program this year and probably run him in either The Shorts or Premiere Stakes first-up and then go to The Everest again.’’

But Pride will need to find a new jockey after the Victory Stakes with Private Eye’s regular jockey Brenton Avdulla taking up a three-month riding contract in Hong Kong after Saturday’s race.

Private Eye is the $2.30 favourite to win the Victory Stakes with Pride maintaining punters should disregard the gelding’s last-start unplaced effort in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes when he was inconvenienced by a very heavy track and suffered interference mid-race.

Although Pride confirmed Private Eye will miss the Group 1 $1m Doomben 10,000 (1200m) in two weeks, the trainer still has top sprinters Eduardo and Mariamia being aimed at that race.

Eduardo and Mariamia, both Group 1 winners, will continue their Doomben 10,000 preparations with crucial barrier trials at Rosehill Gardens on Friday.