There are options galore this Sydney Spring Racing Carnival for Joe Pride’s outstanding young four-year-old Private Eye who took his excellent record up to seven wins from ten starts with a late victory in the 2021 Show County Quality.
Private Eye was excellent late winning the 2021 Show County Quality first-up at Randwick. Photo: Steve Hart.
Brenton Avdulla was forced to forfeit his ride on Private Eye after his fall in the Silver Shadow Stakes, with Jay Ford the lucky hoop picking up the eleventh-hour mount aboard the eventual winner in the Group 3 $160,000 Show County Quality (1200m).
The progressive Al Maher gelding was last seen winning the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm back in early May and further franked the strong form of that race with a win fresh at Royal Randwick.
Private Eye presented fit after two good lead-up trials at Warwick Farm and added to his growing record coming from well back in the field to run down the leaders in the final stages.
Race favourite Splintex had control up front throughout in the Show County Quality before being challenged on the straight by the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Embracer who had peeled out three wide approaching the turn for home to begin his charge.
Embracer lay it down to Splintex and looked home before Ford wound up Private Eye down the outside.
Private Eye ($9) charged home and knocked off Embracer ($8) stopping Waterhouse & Bott from celebrating back-to-back wins after their Silver Shadow success with Swift Witness.
Brad Widdup’s resuming Doncaster Mile runner-up Icebath ($15) was good again in third to round out the Show County Quality trifecta ahead of the beaten favourite Splintex ($3.60) in fourth.
It was the big gun out wide, Private eye, however who proved his versatility and talent in a terrific first-up win ahead of the bigger spring races.
“That was incredible,” Pride’s stable representative Orla Pearl told Sky Thoroughbred Racing post-win.
“He’s had such a good (lead-up) prep so far. His trials have been so much better this time.”
Potential goals for Private Eye this campaign include the Group 1 $1.5 million Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on October 2 and the lucrative $7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) for four-year-olds at Rosehill on October 30.
All-in 2021 Epsom Handicap betting at Ladbrokes.com.au – click here – list Private Eye at $12, while he is at the same quote in futures Golden Eagle odds – available in full here.
2021 Show County Quality Results & Finishing Order
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | PRIVATE EYE | Joseph Pride | Jay Ford | 5 | 54kg | $9 | |||
| 2 | 10 | EMBRACER | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 0.3L | 4 | 53.5kg | $8 | ||
| 3 | 3 | ICEBATH (NZ) | Brad Widdup | Kerrin McEvoy | 1.2L | 6 | 57.5kg | $15 | ||
| 4 | 1 | SPLINTEX | Mark Newnham | Joshua Parr | 1.28L | 2 | 59kg | $3.60F | ||
| 5 | 6 | PRIME STAR | Richard & Michael Freedman | Regan Bayliss | 1.69L | 9 | 55.5kg | $9.50 | ||
| 6 | 9 | FENDER | Brett Cavanough | Jason Collett | 2.44L | 8 | 54kg | $10 | ||
| 7 | 5 | CHAT | John Thompson | Hugh Bowman | 2.73L | 3 | 56kg (cd 56.5kg) | $4.80 | ||
| 8 | 4 | ROCK | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Tommy Berry | 2.88L | 10 | 57.5kg | $12 | ||
| 9 | 11 | HIGHTAIL | Peter & Paul Snowden | Andrew Adkins | 3.64L | 1 | 53kg | $14 | ||
| 10 | 12 | LE LUDE | John Thompson | Ms Rachel King | 4.63L | 7 | 53kg | $31 | ||
| 2 | VIRIDINE | James Cummings | James McDonald | 0 | ||||||
| 7 | HILAL | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Jay Ford | 0 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
