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By Ray Hickson

If Private Eye can impress a slot holder enough to book his place in next month’s TAB Everest his trainer Joe Pride will consider going straight into the $20 million sprint to avoid a clash with stablemate Think About It.

Trainer Joe Pride (Pic: Bradley Photos)

Last year’s Everest runner-up is one of a number of hopefuls out to book a place in the nation’s richest race via the Group 2 $1 million Toyota Forklifts Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Pride is confident he has the six-year-old poised to fire first-up and that wouldn’t be unusual for Private Eye who won his way into the Everest last year with a fresh victory.

“My horse is a great horse fresh and when he resumes he’s not too far off his peak. He improves with a run or two but he’s not too far off,’’ Pride said.

“I’m not expecting any different from him this weekend.

“If Private Eye won this he might not even need to go to the Premiere. I have an open mind.”

Think About It already has a slot in the Everest and is due to have his second trial this preparation next Friday before he resumes in the Premiere Stakes on September 30.

By his standards Private Eye had a mixed autumn.

He was beaten under two lengths by In Secret in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) first-up, didn’t fire on a heavy track in the TJ Smith Stakes then disappointed running fifth behind Rothfire in the Group 2 Victory Stakes in Brisbane.

The gelding hasn’t contested an 1100m race since his third start but it’s always been the plan to kick off in the Shorts so he’s been prepared accordingly.

“I think 1100m or 1200m it’s not a huge difference to a horse like him,’’ he said.

“It comes down to tempo, if they run along a little bit it will probably help him. He’ll be second half of the field and steaming home. That’s what I need to see from him.

“He’ll show us Saturday why he should be in the Everest field.”

Pride has given Private Eye two trials and he said the latest, a close second to King Of Sparta on September 8, was deliberately turned into a mini-test.

He’s a $15 chance in TAB Everest all-in betting and $10 with TAB on Friday in the Shorts.

“He’s a casual horse and I think he needed a bit of a reminder and Nash said when he did it the horse said ‘all right you want to go, let’s go’,’’ he said.

“You could see that the last bit, it was good to watch and you knew the horse was switching on.”

Stablemate Mission Phoenix may have had excuses for his shock third-up failure as Pride reported to stewards there was mucus detected after he finished near the tail behind Just Fine two weeks ago.

All is well with the gelding going into the Peachester Lodge Shoot Out Mile (1600m) so the trainer hopes a turnaround is imminent.

“His two runs before that were super then he’s come out and run that ordinary race,’’ he said.

“He seems to have bounced out of it really well. With the blinkers back on I would think he will bounce back to form.”

Private Eye runs second in a Randwick trial on September 8

Meanwhile, Pride will publicly farewell retired warhorse Eduardo at Randwick on Saturday as the 10-year-old will lead the Shorts field onto the track.

He’ll also be available from 2.30pm for the public to meet and give him some love in the race day stalls.

“For people who liked him, he’s a lovely horse to handle so people can come and give him a pat,’’ Pride said.

“It’s a send off for him and he certainly deserves it.”

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