Trainer Nathan Doyle excited to see where the ceiling is with unbeaten colt Private Harry

Unbeaten colt Private Harry comes to town after two stunning performances that has Nathan Doyle how good he could be.

Impressive colt Private Harry still has Nathan Doyle working out how high his ceiling is but he’s excited to find out as his emerging star puts his unbeaten record on the line at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Private Harry could ensure it’s an explosive start to the card in his city debut in the Petaluma Benchmark 72 Handicap (1200m).

The impressive son of Harry Angel has made a superb start to his career with a pair of eye-catching victories at the provincials in good time.

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After winning comfortably on home turf at Newcastle on debut, Private Harry put a space on rivals with a seven-length romp at Hawkesbury where he won with plenty in hand.

It had Doyle pondering just how good Private Harry could be.

“I thought he was good but how good is he now?” Doyle said.

“He wouldn’t have blown a candle out after the run too so it’s not like it was a gut-buster.

“Ash (Morgan) hadn’t even gone for the persuader on the horse, it was just hands and heels, educating him up and teaching him to run through the line.

“He is a colt and you don’t want to teach him bad habits but he wasn’t over-pressured.

“He did enough within himself to educate him in the run as well.”

Doyle has had Private Harry in his stable since he was a yearling and says he showed “good potential from day dot”.

The Newcastle-based conditioner elected to take a patient approach to getting Private Harry to the races, trialling him five times before his debut.

The clash of two promising colts opens Saturday's Rosehill meeting - does Private Harry make it three from three or will Theblade cut him down and remain unbeaten himself? pic.twitter.com/Yoq9OFdn5f

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) December 5, 2024

• Ray and Duff’s tips for Rosehill on Saturday

That approach has seemingly paid big dividends with a pair of gap jobs in his first two starts.

“Do you expect them to come out and do what he’s done? Probably not because it’s so hard to do,” Doyle said.

“His best attribute, you watch a race at the 500m to the 400m and you look at him and he’s travelling and cruising at what looks like three quarter pace and you look at the others around him and see if they are tracking into the race the same.

“They are all under the bridle or under a bit of a pressure while he is doing it with ease.

“I know he hasn’t beaten much to date but it’s just what he does in stages of the race that gets you quite excited that you know you haven’t reached the ceiling with him.

“He does it with such ease.”

Private Harry is the $2.15 favourite to make it a winning hat-trick to start his career on Saturday with regular rider Ashley Morgan remaining aboard.

Private Harry romps home by seven lengths at Hawkesbury at his latest start. Picture: Bradley Photos

But he is set to face stiff competition in his maiden metropolitan assignment with six last start winners in the field of eight runners.

The Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes-trained Theblade ($3), a close relation to Black Caviar, is among his rivals.

Doyle expects Private Harry will be up to the occasion.

“He seems to have come on with racing,” Doyle said.

“Mentally he seems a lot better to us. He is much more relaxed and doing everything like a racehorse now.

“He has really taken a lot of benefit out of his first two starts so I feel like I couldn’t have him in a better spot heading to town there on Saturday.

“I think it’s a nice stepping stone, it’s a nice race on paper at the right Benchmark, a three-year-old race so I am heading down there quite content and happy with the horse.”

• James Molony’s race-by-race tips, analysis for Rosehill, Saturday

Private Harry wins in good style @AshMorgan6@ndoyleracing@[e-mail]/3ddsKlytQ6

— Kurrinda Bloodstock (@KBloodstockNSW) November 2, 2024

Another dynamic display will have the way for Private Harry to contest the inaugural $3m Magic Millions Sunlight (1100m) on the Gold Coast at January 4.

The Sunlight is a new slot race for three-year-olds held a week before the lucrative Magic Millions race day with Private Harry locked into the B2B Thoroughbreds slot.

Doyle is keen to head to the race but only if all goes to plan on Saturday.

“He has probably got to get the job done there on Saturday or show that he is up to that class,” Doyle said.

“It’s definitely on the radar for sure and he’s got a spot there.

“If he comes through the run in good order and shows us the potential we think he has got, it’s definitely the path we will head down.

“The day he tells us he’s had enough or done for the preparation is the day he will be in the paddock.”

Midnight Opal set for overdue win

Trainer Nathan Doyle has high hopes of book-ending the Saturday card with Midnight Opal hunting a breakthrough city success in the Rosehill Bowling Club Benchmark 78 Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens.

While unbeaten colt Private Harry headlines Doyle’s weekend assault in the opener, Midnight Opal ($2.70 favourite) is the leading contender on the final event on the program.

Midnight Opal won his first two starts and hasn’t saluted in eight attempts since but has been edging closer to a drought-breaking triumph.

The son of Deep Field has placed in Saturday city grade at his past two, finishing runner-up to I’mintowin last time out at Kembla Grange.

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I'mintowin too strong from the front! 😤@GaiWaterhouse1@Darby_Racingpic.twitter.com/OTHGE78uY3

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“He deserves a Saturday city win,” Doyle said.

“He probably didn’t appreciate the firmness of the track there at Kembla Grange.

“Travelling there he loomed to win and probably didn’t let down off it.

“The last of the day, we don’t want the track drying out too much and a nice bit of cushion in it would be ideal.”

Doyle applied the blinkers last start and plans to stick with the gear change when Midnight Opal lines up for his fourth start this preparation with Jason Collett aboard.

“I think the blinkers were quite effective,“ Doyle said.

“He was a lot kinder in the rider’s hands rather than dropping the bridle at different stages of the race.

“1300m isn’t a worry and he seems to have come through the run nice enough.”

• Saturday market movers: First starter $31 to $13

Celestial Fury is chasing back-to-back victories on Saturday. Picture: Bradley Photos

Celestial Fury is Doyle’s only other runner in the TAB Benchmark 78 Handicap (2000m).

Returning from a lengthy 293-day spell at the beginning of this preparation, Celestial Fury returned to winning ways with a determined effort over 1900m at Canterbury last start.

“It was good win,“ Doyle said.

“I thought 2000m in 78 grade, it’s the right time to try it. He’s in with a respectable race and Tim (Clark) knows the horse and how to get the best out of him.

“These stayers take three or four runs to hit their wheelhouse. He took those first three runs to get in his stride and fourth up he wins.“

Celestial Fury is a $21 hope.

Originally published as Trainer Nathan Doyle excited to see where the ceiling is with unbeaten colt Private Harry