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By Ray Hickson

For reasons not fully clear to trainer Joe Pride, spring is when Private Eye produces his best and that’s why he’s not concerned he hasn’t shored up his TAB Everest slot yet.

Joe Pride (Pic: Steve Hart)

Aside from his Queensland Guineas win as a three-year-old, all of Private Eye's wins have come in spring or early summer and Pride is confident he’s in the right place to enhance that record in Saturday’s Group 3 $1 million Southern Cross Group Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick.

A win in either that race or the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) in two week would more than likely secure an Everest berth and that’s what Pride is banking on.

“That’s why I’m not panicking about it. If he’s not good enough to win those races we don’t want to be in the Everest,’’ Pride said.

“We’d be making up the numbers.”

In the spring of 2021 Private Eye won the Group 1 Epsom Handicap; in 2022 he won the Group 2 Gilgai and what is now the Russell Balding Stakes (Winners Stakes) and was runner-up in the TAB Everest; last spring he won the Shorts, ran third in the Everest and second in the Balding.

It’s a lucrative time of year for the seven-year-old - last spring he earned almost $4 million - and Pride said with a firmish track presented on Saturday he has the right conditions to be a major factor.

“He loves this time of year,’’ he said.

“In spring every year he just comes up so well, he always manages to win a good race or two in the spring and no reason why he won’t do it again.

“The weather has probably got something to do with it, he normally gets firm tracks in the spring whereas in the autumn the tracks are softer.”

Private Eye is on the $15 line in TAB’s pre-noms Everest market and $6 as he renews rivalries with 2022 Everest champ Giga Kick on race day in the Concorde.

Jay Ford, who recently notched his 100th winner for Pride, is back on Private Eye in a race for the first time in three years.

Pride said his two trials have been what he’s looking for, he hasn't worn blinkers in either and wasn’t asked for anything serious behind Giga Kick in the latest of them, and has the right set up to get his chance.

“I couldn’t be happier with him,’’ he said.

“A lovely quiet trial the other day, just what you’d expect to see from him in a trial. That’s what he does. He’s come back great, I’m looking forward to a big prep from him.

“I like the draw, he’s a go forward horse and he should just get that nice run.

“I can see a heap of pace, it looks a very fast race as most 1000m races are.”

Stablemate Dragonstone is testing the waters in the Concorde as Pride works out where to point the consistent gelding in the spring.

He hasn’t raced since winning the Starlight Stakes last December in a preparation that included recording Group placings behind I Am Me in the Missile and Buenos Noches in the Show County.

“I reckon he will run really well,’’ Pride said.

Private Eye's trial at Randwick on August 30

“I thought his trial was excellent, obviously he’s up against it here against this type of horse.

“He’ll be ridden quietly off that barrier and he’ll steam home. He’ll beat more home than beat him home, I’m confident of that.”

Meanwhile, reigning TAB Everest champion Think About It has his first trial of the spring at Randwick on Monday.

Like Private Eye, he’s yet to be snapped up for the Everest and he’s set to resume in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) in four weeks.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting