‘The boy has become a man’: Private Harry thrills trainer Nathan Doyle following his return from spell

Private Harry has returned to Nathan Doyle’s stables at Newcastle, with the trainer delighted at how much the 2025 The Everest hope has strengthened up in two months off.

Private Harry, with Ashley Morgan riding, wins the Group 1 The Galaxy at Rosehill Gardens in March. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

“The boy has become a man!”

This was trainer Nathan Doyle’s initial observation when unbeaten sprint sensation Private Harry returned to his Newcastle stables after a two-month spell.

“Private Harry has really strengthened up and looks terrific,’’ Doyle enthused on Tuesday morning.

“We are just starting him off with some slow work and we will build up from there but he’s come back into the stables in great order.’’

Sean Driver of Kurrinda Bloodstock, who purchased Private Harry as a yearling for $115,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, is almost incredulous at the physical development the brilliant three-year-old has made during his spell.

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“Private Harry has probably put on 60kg and looks absolutely outstanding,’’ Driver said.

“He had a five-week spell and then spent three weeks at Limitless Lodge where he did some dressage work. He has really made that physical development you would expect of a young horse.’’

Private Harry made a meteoric rise to racing’s elite level with his five wins in an unbeaten debut race preparation that began in November last year with an easy win in fast time in a Newcastle 900m maiden.

Doyle’s dynamic sprinter then scored at Hawkesbury and Rosehill before his first big test in The Sunlight at Sunshine Coast in January.

📽️: PRIVATE HARRY'S BACK … BIGGER AND STRONGER

Get a closer look at gun sprinter Private Harry as he returns to @NathanDoyle015's Newcastle stables to begin a preparation that will culminate in the $20 million The Everest. 👇https://t.co/dVdlezBElJpic.twitter.com/T4EKqgUhFD

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 2, 2025

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Private Harry was up against the likes of 2024 Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot but he really made a statement with a commanding win in The Sunlight by more than two lengths.

Doyle then kept Private Harry fresh and the colt had more than two months between runs before he lined up in the Group 1 The Galaxy at Rosehill where he defeated Front Page and Uncommon James.

“It’s hard to win a race anywhere let alone five straight,’’ Doyle said.

Private Harry then became the first horse to secure a start in The Everest after racing and breeding juggernaut Yulong purchased a 50 per cent stake in the crack colt.

The deal also included Private Harry being selected to race in Yulong’s slot in The Everest.

We're just wild about Harry!!! 😍

Private Harry gives @ndoyleracing and @AshMorgan6 their first G1 success in The Galaxy, and remains unbeaten! 💪@KBloodstockNSW | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/rZj42n26u0

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 22, 2025

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Driver said there were plans for Private Harry to have two lead-up runs in The Shorts and the Premiere Stakes to prepare for the $20 million The Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 18.

“Private Harry will stay in our colours for The Shorts and the Premiere in spring,’’ he said.

“Then Yulong and ourselves will create a hybrid set of silks for The Everest but the horse will be back in our colours after that.

“If Private Harry is fit and healthy, and all things being equal, we are hoping to go to Royal Ascot next year where he will wear Yulong’s colours over there.’’

Originally published as ‘The boy has become a man’: Private Harry thrills trainer Nathan Doyle following his return from spell