Saturday Summary: Private Eye too classy in the P.B. Lawrence

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Private Eye left alone and salutes stylishly

From the moment the gates opened, the result of the G2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes was never really in doubt. Clearly the class runner of the field, Private Eye (Al Maher) settled right on the speed with minimal effort, while the other anticipated pace influence, Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), was slow to begin.

That left Private Eye in control, dictating the tempo at a leisurely rate. Here To Shock (NZ) (Shocking) sat outside the leader, with Desert Lightning (Pride Of Dubai) tracking nicely in third. With little pressure applied mid-race, Nash Rawiller expertly rated the gelding, and the field was left chasing a near-perfect front-running ride.

In the straight, Private Eye extended stylishly to win by two lengths, with Desert Lightning holding second and Here To Shock finishing a solid third. The eye-catcher was Moira (Can) (Ghostzapper {USA}) who ran on well into fourth after settling at the rear - a clear sign she’s acclimatised now to Australian conditions. Evaporate ran fifth in what can be forgiven, and he's likely to bounce back next time.

It was a move that paid off for trainer Joseph Pride, who had opted to scratch Private Eye from the G2 Missile Stakes, which was later abandoned and not rescheduled, and instead he sent him south to Melbourne for a more suitable surface and the chance to chase $300,000 in Group 2 weight-for-age spoils.

“When I saw him get off the float, I grew in confidence. When your horses travel away, you need to see them travel well, and he looked magnificent.” Pride said

“He's an amazing athlete and that was his 13th interstate trip. He's very tough, and he carried a good bit of residual fitness from Queensland.

“It was only his second start for 2025. It would easily be the lightest he has been raced in some time, and maybe that has got something to do with his good form at the moment.”

When asked about Private Eye’s next start, Pride kept his cards close:

“I wouldn't rule out coming back for the Memsie, but there are plenty of races there in Sydney also.

“We'll hopefully pick something off and hopefully on a better track than we got today.”

There was a small pre-race scare for the gelding, who bumped his head in the gates prior to the jump, but Rawiller was quick to act.

“Another horse got a bit agitated, and he took a dive and hit his head,” Rawiller said.

“I backed him out and got him checked, but I was confident he was well enough to race, but I just wanted to double check.

“He was really switched on today and he travelled really well from the time he left the gates. It's full credit to the team at home as he's got his zest for racing.”

Sales Information: Private Eye was purchased for $62,500 by Proven Thoroughbreds and Pride Thoroughbreds from the 2019 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.

Pedigree Information: Private Eye is the second foal of Confidential Queen (Shamardal {USA}), who only raced three times. She has gone on to become a very good broodmare leaving four winners from only four to race, alongside Private Eye, she has left Royal Witness (Star Witness) managing to be a six-time winning sprinter.

Private Eye’s grandam Royal Snippets (Royal Acadcemy {USA}) was a two-time winner, she is a half-sister to the Champion stallion and Group 1 winner Snitzel, the successful stallion and Group 3 winner Hinchinbrook, and also the Group 3 winner Viennese (Redoute’s Choice).

Pop Award keeps winning streak alive with Regal Roller triumph

Pop Award (Shamus Award) continued her impressive rise through the ranks with a fifth straight victory - this time stepping up to Listed level with a strong win in the Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield. The talented mare was guided to victory by New Zealand-based jockey Matthew Cartwright, who made it a family affair as he partnered the mare that is trained by his mother, Leonie Proctor, and grandmother, Lyn Tolson.

The race unfolded at a genuine tempo, with Glint Of Silver (Rubick), Recommendation (Shalaa {Ire}), and South Of India (Churchill {Ire}) all keen to take up the running. Meanwhile, Pop Award enjoyed a perfect run in transit, positioned just off the speed.

Presented at the right time by Cartwright, Pop Award pounced with authority in the straight, at the same time Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel {re}) launched from last and loomed dangerously, but it was Pop Award who proved too strong, extending her winning roll to five in a row in just her seventh career start.

Trainer Lyn Tolson was understandably ecstatic post-race:

“I really can’t (believe it). We rolled the dice today, and we thought, ‘oh god, are we going a little bit too high?, This is only her seventh run.

“We sort of thought, ‘it’s only going to get hard. If we throw her in the deep end now, we can always come back if we have.

“She definitely stood up, didn’t she… (Matt) came back for the weekend for his birthday, and it's definitely his birthday now!”

Jockey Matt Cartwright was full of praise for his tough and talented mount:

“Look, I was just glad that I could keep the ride, and that the owner, Mum and Nan trusted me with the ride. It all worked out great for her, she travelled lovely.

“She felt the pressure when the second horse got to me on the outside, but once I pulled the whip through the right, she found even more and she dug deep.

“She’s got a real will to win, this horse, and I’m just glad that she could get the job done.”

Sale Information: Pop Award was bred and is raced by Mrs Debbie Kroger

Pedigree Information: Pop Award is the third foal out of Miss Popkins (Jeune {GB}), who was a five-time winner from 1200 metres up to 2200 metres on the track.

The family is lacking black-type up close in the pedigree, but Pop Award’s grandam Lucky Poppy (GB) (Touching Wood {USA}) is a half-sister to Cherry Hinton (USA) (Nijinsky II {Can}), who was a Group 3 winner at Ascot and left two stakes winners

Tuxedo is back, bigger and better

The Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-trained Tuxedo (NZ) (Tivaci) has announced himself as a genuine Group 1 contender for the seaaon ahead, with an emphatic return to racing in the Open 1400-metre event at Ruakaka. The promising galloper now heads towards the G1 Proisir Plate at Ellerslie in three weeks with serious momentum.

Ridden quietly by jockey Michael McNab, McNab was content to travel wide on the deteriorating track, but proved far too strong for his rivals, surging clear to win by just over three lengths with ease. Illicit Dreams (NZ) (Vancouver) ran second, while Habana (Zoustar) was game running third just under 5 lengths behind the winner with his big weight of 62kg.

His return to form as a 4-year-old comes as no surprise, having shown real class as a 3-year-old with victories in the G2 Waikato Guineas and G3 Wellington Stakes, and a placing in the R. Listed Karaka 3YO Classic.

Co-trainer Shaune Ritchie was happy with the effort and now has his eyes on the ultimate prize.

“We needed to make a statement if we wanted to be competitive in the Group 1 in three weeks. It's never idea first up on a wet track but it will stand him in great stead for the Proisir Plate now.

“He still has a bit to learn, he mucked around a bit once he hit the front, but he was impressive.”

Sales Information: Tuxedo was purchased by GI Barnett for NZ$70,000 from the Waikato Stud draft at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka National Yearling Sale.

Pedigree information: Tuxedo is out of the placed O’Reilly (NZ) mare Ball Gown (NZ). She comes from a strong extended Waikato Stud family that features the outstanding globetrotter and five-time Group 1 winner and Sire Starcraft (NZ), and the Group winners Forum Floozie (NZ) (Danasinga ), Fall For Cindy (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), and Sports Illustrated (NZ) (Fast ‘N’ Famous).