Exciting colt Private Harry maintains perfect record and books trip to new Magic Millions slot race with victory at Rosehill

Private Harry wasn’t at home on the wet track but showed his class to maintain his perfect record at Rosehill, and he’ll now head to a rich new slot race next month.

Boom colt Private Harry made it three from three at Rosehill on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images

The exciting Private Harry didn’t need to put a margin on his chasing rivals to provide another demonstration of his obvious class and sprinting talent at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Private Harry wasn’t comfortable in the wet track conditions but still was never seriously challenged in the Petaluma Handicap (1200m).

Trainer Nathan Doyle conceded the Soft 7 going – the track rating was downgraded to a Heavy 8 after the opener – didn’t suit Private Harry but the boom three-year-old colt was still far too good for his rivals.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

“I don’t think he loved the going,” Doyle said.

“He travelled so well, he was the only horse you wanted to be on in the run, but as soon as Ash (Morgan, jockey) let his head go, it (wet track) took away from his turn of foot.

“Horses that are so fast and have that turn of foot like him show it more on better (drier) decks.”

Private Harry ($2.10 favourite) took control of the race at the top of the straight and easily held his rivals at bay to score by just over a length from the Bjorn Baker-trained duo of Unleeshing ($10) who ran on well for second just in front of Midnight Dynamite ($21).

Theblade, a close relation to all-time great sprinter Black Caviar, struggled in the going before finishing fourth, nearly five lengths behind the winner.

Doyle revealed he contemplated scratching Private Harry earlier in the morning because of the deteriorating track conditions before deciding to run.

Private Harry’s two previous wins had been on good tracks where he ran very fast time and won those races by an aggregate of nearly 11 lengths.

Although the promising young sprinter appeared to scramble home at Rosehill, Doyle is adamant the winning margin of just over a length is not a reflection of the colt’s ability.

That's your first favourite home at Rosehill! Private Harry wins for @NDoyleRacing under the urgings of @AshMorgan6! pic.twitter.com/coXxRVUMSd

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 7, 2024

“I know he has more to come, he does have that ping, and on a better surface you will see him accelerate away from them,” Doyle said.

“I was confident during the race until Ash let him stride. I know it was a strong field today but he probably didn’t ping away from them like I thought he would.”

Morgan, NSW’s leading jockey with 137.5 wins last season, is also convinced of Private Harry’s potential, describing the colt as the “real deal”.

“I’ve ridden horses in their maidens that have gone on to win Group 1 races and at this stage of his career he is well ahead,” Morgan said of Private Harry.

“He’s a beautiful horse and on a good track you will see another side to him.

“He wasn’t really enjoying the conditions today, even cantering to the gates I was a little bit concerned.

“But he is that type of horse that has a high cruising speed and travels so well.

“It shows he has a strong aptitude to racing because he was uncomfortable in the going but still won well.”

Private Harry, a son of Godolphin’s Harry Angel out of Happy Pilgrim, cost $115,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale last year.

A good day for Newcastle trainers on the home track with @ndoyleracing bagging a double with Private Harry and Irish Bliss while the @perry_racing1 Zoe Shark also won. Congratulations to all the winning connections! pic.twitter.com/2H80FL2h92

— Newcastle Racecourse (@newcastleraces_) November 2, 2024

The boom colt has already recouped his purchase price, taking his career earnings to just over $170,000 so far with the promise of a lot more to come.

Doyle confirmed Private Harry will now go straight to the inaugural $3m Magic Millions The Sunlight (1100m), a slot race run at the Gold Coast on January 4.

Private Harry has already been selected by slot-holder B2B Thoroughbreds to start in the rich Gold Coast race.

“He got the job done today, that’s the main thing, and we have four weeks to the Gold Coast,” Doyle said.

“We will manage him into that race, we might give him a light trial in between.”

Doyle then commented on Private Harry’s temperament before the trainer came up with the quote of the day.

“Private Harry’s a nice horse doing everything right,” Doyle said.

“He is getting out of the gates well and putting himself into a nice position which is half the battle. He has good race craft and for a colt, he is so manageable.

“He is not too bad with the girls, he will ask them out on a date before he acts on things!”

Originally published as Exciting colt Private Harry maintains perfect record and books trip to new Magic Millions slot race with victory at Rosehill