Private Eye Melbourne-Bound After Missile Stakes Scrapped

With Sydney feature axed, trainer Pride enters Group 1 winner in PB Lawrence Stakes

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Sydney - Racing New South Wales' decision not to reprogramme the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) is set to be Melbourne's gain, with Private Eye in line to resume in the A$300,000 (S$251,000) Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Aug 16.

The Joseph Pride-trained Private Eye was the favourite in the Missile Stakes on Aug 9, but with the Randwick meeting being called off after officials deemed the heavy track unsafe for racing, Sydney's first Group race of the new season was also abandoned, and the 1200m weight-for-age event will not be rescheduled.

Hence, the Al Maher eight-year-old veteran - whose last win came in the Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on Nov 30, 2024 - was scratched from the Missile Stakes after trialling at Warwick Farm on Aug 8.

Pride could not hide his disappointment and said Private Eye would have been a probable starter had the feature race been reprogrammed for later this week.

"I might end up having to go to Melbourne," said the top trainer.