Owner in Private Eye chasing ‘dream’ third win in Everest
To own a runner in The Everest (1200m), Sydney’s richest race in the world on turf, is quickly becoming the dream of many racing enthusiasts.
To win it, and a share in the $15 million prize-money on offer, would be life–changing. To win the spectacle three times, well, that’s the stuff of fantasy. But for two racehorse owners with a runner in this year’s renewal, that prospect is a very real possibility.
Brad Playford and fellow racing dreamer John Allen collected the lion’s share of the lucrative prize fund in the race’s first two runnings, the pair both shareholders in the anointed ‘King of the Mountain’ Redzel (Snitzel).
This year, Playford and his ‘good mate’ Allen are part of the ownership group in Proven Thoroughbreds’ Private Eye (Al Maher), a $13 chance for tomorrow’s feature, and one of the 11 hopefuls out to deny the all-conquering Nature Strip (Nicconi) a second victory in The Everest.
You’d rather Playford on your team than not.
“To be back here again, it really is unbelievable. I was on the boat for the barrier draw on Tuesday, and my fellow owners in the horse, they keep saying ‘how well are you going?’,” Playford told a Share In Success. “It’s really exciting, I can’t wait for Saturday. It’s a massive race. It’s not a Group 1 but it’s much bigger than a Group 1.”
The last-start Gilgai Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner and Epsom Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) hero from last season, Private Eye was a late call up to the Inglis slot for The Everest after Snapdancer (Choisir) was ruled out through injury. But that, according to Playford, does not mean the Joe Pride-trained gelding is merely making up the numbers.
“He deserves to be in the race,” he said. “If we can get the track out of the heavy range, his last few runs have been so good. He’s a really good horse and there’s plenty of speed in the race, which will suit. He’s also won at Randwick over 1200 metres on a wet track before.”
Playford is not your usual syndicate owner. He’s vastly experienced in the racing industry having held roles with Colin Hayes at Lindsay Park and Grahame Begg, and travelled with Veloso (Zamaazan), winner of the 1982 Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and Mackinnon Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) of the next year.
His relationship with Proven Thoroughbreds’ Jamie Walter is through the syndicator’s brother, Guy, who trained the 1990 Toorak Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Ricochet Rosie (Galveston) for Playford’s father.
Many would call Playford’s success lucky. Indeed, as with any victory in racing, an element of luck is required, but it’s this experience of more than 20 years in the industry that he puts to expert use in deciding which horses to buy into.
Playford distinctly recalls the moment he set eyes on the Goodwood Farm-bred Private Eye, a $62,500 buy for Walter from the Ambergate Farm draft at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale in 2019. The horse would take his prize-money to beyond $8 million should he win tomorrow’s race.
“I remember him very much. He was a very nice looking yearling,” Playford said. “Jamie had an open day down at Joe’s, and when I saw him there, I really liked him and took a share in him straight away. But you never think you’re going to reach these sorts of heights.
“When I decided that I was going to get a share in a horse I went with Jamie and I’ve been with him for 12 years now. My second horse [with Proven] was [Group 3 winner] Adorabeel and then I also had Caesar, who won the Roman Consul.
“He’s such a lovely bloke, Jamie. He’s so good to us all. He works very hard and it’s his passion. We’ve had it pretty good.”
Playford’s Everest runner is not the only horse he has eyes for tomorrow. He has a share in St Leger (2600m) runner Stockman (Tavistock), who also races in the black and lime green of Proven Thoroughbreds. Tomorrow’s assignment is set to be a prelude to another of the biggest days on the Australian racing calendar for the six-year-old.
“He’s qualified for the Melbourne Cup, so if he runs well on Saturday he’ll be going down to Melbourne,” Playford said.
“[Tomorrow is] the biggest day at the races that I’ve ever had. There’s a lot on the line.”
Anyone would dream of having an Everest and Melbourne Cup runner in the same year. To win them both… “Let’s just get through tomorrow first!”