Nash Rawiller partners Private Eye in Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap. Photos: Kenneth Chan
Sydney trainer Joseph Pride is undeterred by the challenges facing Private Eye when the outstanding miler tackles the Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1,400m) at Eagle Farm in Brisbane, Australia on Saturday.
Assigned top weight of 57kg (125.6lb), Private Eye will resume after a 182-day break and will have to defy history as he attempts to become the first horse to carry 57kg or more to victory in the Stradbroke Handicap since Rough Habit successfully carried 58.5kg in 1992.
Additionally, winning the Stradbroke Handicap first up is a rare achievement after an extended break with Crawl famously bucking the trend by triumphing in 2001 off a 56-day break.
“Records are made to be broken and I don’t think first up is what it used to be,” said Pride, a former protégé of 12-time Hong Kong champion trainer John Size.
