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By Ray Hickson

Joe Pride’s chances of his first TAB Everest soared with Private Eye appearing certain to join stablemate Think About It in the $20 million sprint next month after a stunning return in the Group 2 $1m Toyota Forklifts Shorts (1100m).

It seems a matter of when, not if, a slot holder will lock the six-year-old into the Everest and give him the chance to go one better than his second placing a year ago.

Trainer Joe Pride (Pic: Bradley Photos)

Pride had said all week that Private Eye was back to his best and would make a statement, and that was the case as he reeled in Overpass to post a long head win with Buenos Noches third hitting the line along with In Secret.

“I’m pretty confident, all things being well I’ll have two runners in The Everest,’’ Pride said.

“The two horses deserve to be there. That was exciting, I figured he was going to come back to what he was doing last spring, but you can never count on it.

“What you do at home doesn’t simulate that kind of pressure and it was the race pressure that was going to go either way for him today. He thrived on it, he looked a little bit tired late but he kept finding.”

It was something of a changing of the guard in the Pride stable as retired star Eduardo led the Shorts field onto the track and he handed the baton over to Private Eye.

Pride said he has some thinking to do now as to whether the gelding, now $11 with TAB in the premier sprint, has another run before the Everest, assuming that slot is locked in, given he has Think About It set to resume in the Premiere Stakes in two weeks.

“I know there is a fair bit of improvement to come. I’ve said all week, he starts his preparations off really well, he’s a good fresh horse,’’ he said.

“But I’ve trained him a bit differently this time in. I haven’t been too hard on him and I’d be surprised if he didn’t improve significantly at his next couple of runs.

“A bit of thinking to do whether we go to the Premiere with him or straight to The Everest, but we’ll take a deep breath and have a think about that.”

Bjorn Baker remains confident runner-up Overpass can find a place in the Everest after his gallant performance from the front and won’t start the gelding again until October 14.

“I think Overpass has gone really well,’’ Baker said.

“I’ve always thought this horse was better at 1200m and all his big wins have been at 1200m, he has a great cruising speed.”

“He had four weeks between The Quokka and went to the Doomben 10,000 where he did a lot of work and was very, very game. I’m confident we will have him spot on for Everest Day.”

Buenos Noches’ trainer Matthew Smith seems content not to run his emerging sprinter again until Everest Day and is hopeful it will be in the $20 million feature.

“He’s flying. He was a month between runs and he ran super so there’s two options on Everest Day, the Everest and the Sydney Stakes,’’ he said.

“We’ll see how he pulls up but he doesn’t have to run again. There are other races after that, the Giga Kick Stakes, so he doesn’t need to run in between.”

What the beaten jockeys said:

Josh Parr (Overpass): “Fantastic effort from him. I must be honest I can’t believe I lost. I topped the hill and let him go. He sprinted really well so it shaped up to be a cracking race and it surely was.”

Dylan Gibbons (Buenos Noches): “Any slot holders miss that - just remember that was 11(00)m.”

Regan Bayliss (Mazu): “Great run. He was back and sprinted well. Just got tired the last little bit. Will improve out of sight.”

Chad Schofield (Lost And Running): “He didn’t jump well. From then on we were wide without cover.”

Private Eye wins the Shorts

Zac Lloyd (In Secret): “She has run very well. We didn’t as smooth a run as we would have liked. I had to wait for them to go. They had the sprint today but she was very good the last 200m. She is definitely on track for The Everest.”

Tyler Schiller (Remarque): “Terrific run. I wouldn’t be doubting him up to 1200m. I think he will dictate at 1200m a lot better.”

Jason Collett (Ruthless Dame): “She was good late. Travelled really well. Brought her out like I was going to launch but got left flat footed when they went.”

Adam Hyeronimus (Hawaii Five Oh): “Fantastic return. He is a lovely horse. Probably just rode him too confidently. Maybe ride him a bit more conservatively next time.”

Rachel King (Rocketing By): “Super run. He just needs a bit of rain.”

Jean Van Overmeire (Athelric): “Top effort. Left the gates really quickly. Nice and clean. Travelled nicely. Unfortunately just didn’t have the sharp turn of foot as the others did.”

Tom Sherry (Casino Lord): “He’s run well in that grade.”

Check out the replays and results from 7 Stakes Day at Royal Randwick