Private Eye electric in Nature Strip Stakes

He has won a Group 1 race over a mile, finished runner-up in The Everest and is now the winner of the $3 million Nature Strip Stakes.

The Joe pride-trained Private Eye is nothing if not versatile, just ask winning jockey Brenton Avdulla.

“Joe used to always tell me, what do you reckon his best distance is?’ Avdulla recalled.

“I said, ‘if you send him to the Derby, I reckon he’d win the Derby. If you send him to the Stradbroke, he can win the Stradbroke. We were stiff not to win the Stradbroke (Private Eye finished second), it was pilot error, but then Joe put me back on him and he’s been awesome.”

While considered more of a miler due to his Epsom Handicap victory last year, Private Eye has been a revelation in the sprint ranks this spring.

After taking out the Gilgai Stakes (1200m) first-up at Flemington, he was a slashing second in The Everest before unleashing a stunning turn of foot to take honours in Saturday’s Nature Strip Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.

Provided he comes through the run well, Pride plans to back him up in the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington next Saturday.

“I’m keen to get him down there and if he can win at the mile next week, well wow, he’s going to stamp himself as one of the most versatile horses, (or) the most versatile horse in Australia and maybe one of the best,” Pride said.

“We’ve got a bit to think about the next seven days haven’t we?

“But I’m keen to get him down there, it was always the aim and this stuff along the way has been a pretty big bonus.

“He’s a lovely horse. He’s taken a lot of time to mature, but the way he’s gone over the past six months he’s just kept stepping it up and who knows where he can get to.”

The two minor placegetters from the Everest finished one-two in the Nature Strip Stakes, Private Eye ($5.50) downing Mazu ($5) by 1-1/2 lengths with another half-length to Kementari ($21).

Lost And Running finished seventh as a $2.35 favourite and jockey Hugh Bowman said the horse’s action didn’t feel 100 per cent.

“He just didn’t let go,” Bowman said.

“He pulled up well which is the main thing. Just not himself today.”