Private Eye overcomes barrier scare to dominate in Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield

The Joe Pride-trained $11.4m prizemoney earner, who overcame a precautionary vet check behind the barriers after he lunged at the gate, dictated the feature on Saturday under champion jockey Nash Rawiller.

Sepals, drawn inside Private Eye, was scratched on vet advice after becoming fractious in the stall.

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“It was a bit concerning,” Rawiller said.

“He took a dive and hit his head. I backed him out and got him checked but I was confident he was well enough to race, I wanted to double check.

“He was really switched on today, he travelled amazing from the time he left the gates.”

Private Eye led the way in transit and kicked strongly around the bend to win from Desert Lightning and Here To Shock.

Pride beamed post-race.

“He’s been a very special horse for us for a very long time and when you bring them to races like this there’s a lot more pressure on him,” Pride said.

“He’s run (Group 1) placings in Stradbrokes and Everests at massive prices, when you come to races like this there’s a bit more pressure on him but he delivers.”

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Private Eye was set to resume in the subsequently washed out Missile Stakes last Saturday in Sydney.

The switch to Melbourne seven days later proved a winning move.

“He’s an amazing athlete, I think this was his 13th interstate trip, so he’s very tough,” Pride said.

“I wouldn’t rule out coming back for the Memsie, plenty of races up there in Sydney but we’ll pick something off and hopefully on a better (drier) track than we got today.”

Private Eye has won 13 of 44 starts and always raced competitively, primarily at the highest level.

“He’s a chilled out sort of guy, but he’s arrogant and has to have things on his terms,” Pride said.

“He’s never nasty but he knows how good he is … there’s so many options for him because he can run a wide range of distances.

“It’s just lovely to bank another win with a horse so special for us.”

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Pride credited Rawiller for missing key rides in Sydney on Saturday to stick with Private Eye.

“It was an important day for him too, for Nash, he’d given up some rides in Sydney because he really wanted to stick with this horse,” Pride said.

“It was touch and go whether he was going to come down but he committed on Monday, he really wanted to ride him and it sets up the spring well for everybody.”

Sydney-based Victorian Rawiller appreciated another feature success in Melbourne, only his second south of the border since 2021.

“I always love coming back home and winning one of the big ones,” Rawiller said.

“It makes it very satisfying, it’s been probably a few years … it’d be nice to get back here (more) and mix it with the best of them down here.

“Hopefully in the spring carnival.”

Originally published as Private Eye overcomes barrier scare to dominate in Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield