‘What about the Kingsford Smith Cup horses?’: Trainer Joe Pride disappointed Group 1 not rescheduled to Wednesday

Trainer Joe Pride has ruled his elite sprinter Private Eye out of the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup, questioning why officials didn’t reschedule the washed out race to Wednesday this week.

Trainer Joe Pride is continuing on a Stradbroke Handicap path with his stable star Private Eye.

Trainer Joe Pride admitted he was “disappointed” the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup wasn’t rescheduled for midweek before ruling his elite sprinter out of the $1 million Eagle Farm race on Saturday.

The Kingsford Smith Cup and Queensland Derby were added to the Oaks Day program at Eagle Farm after heavy rain last Saturday resulted in the final five races being washed out.

But Pride questioned why only the Group 3 Fred Best Classic was moved to the Doomben meeting on Wednesday and not the Kingsford Smith Cup, too.

Pride said Private Eye’s preparation would be compromised if the gelding ran first-up in Saturday’s Kingsford Smith Cup and then the Group 1 $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 14.

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“I’m not going to run Private Eye in the Kingsford Smith Cup and then back up a week later in the Stradbroke Handicap,’’ Pride said.

“I don’t want to give him a compromised preparation and have a half-hearted go at two Group 1 races.

“I’m disappointed he has to miss the Kingsford Smith Cup but this way we can give him his best chance in the Stradbroke.’’

Pride revealed Private Eye returned to Sydney over the weekend as the gelding preferred his training and stable routine at Warwick Farm.

“We will trial Private Eye on Friday at Rosehill and that will give him four barrier trials before his first-up run so I’m not worried about his fitness,’’ Pride said.

Private Eye will bypass the Kingsford Smith @EagleFarmRacing this Saturday to concentrate on the Stradbroke with @nashhot on board @ProvenTbreds star is in great shape and will trial this Friday

— Pride Racing (@PrideRacing) June 1, 2025

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“But I feel they could have run the Kingsford Smith Cup on Wednesday. They have added the Fred Best Classic to the Doomben meeting to give the three-year-olds their best chance of getting to the Stradbroke.

“But that is only for one horse (Fred Best Classic winner) so what about all the Kingsford Smith Cup horses?”

Joliestar’s owner Brendan Lindsay has already suggested his brilliant mare was likely to go for a spell after the Kingsford Smith Cup and not stay in training for the Stradbroke.

This is more to do with giving Joliestar a long enough break before the spring carnival comes around rather than having to race her twice in seven days.

“I think she’s 50-50 for the ‘Straddie’, I don’t think she’ll carry on,’’ Lindsay said

Originally published as ‘What about the Kingsford Smith Cup horses?’: Trainer Joe Pride disappointed Group 1 not rescheduled to Wednesday