They’ve amassed over $20 million in prize money between them and the Joe Pride/Proven Thoroughbreds syndicated pair of Private Eye and Think About It will be looking to add to that tally this autumn.

Private Eye, a $62,500 yearling purchase, is aiming to stay over the shorter distances this campaign but Pride will be keeping his options open. The son of Al Maher had a stellar preparation last time in work with a win in The Shorts, before an unlucky third in The Everest and then just narrowly missing in the Giga Kick Stakes. It’s not often you pick up over $3 million in earnings from just three outings.

Whilst the Lightning Stakes will be Pride’s main focus for Private Eye, there are plenty of other targets for the six-year-old gelding.

“We’ll get him back ready for the Lightning which is on the 17th February so it will roll around pretty quick,” Pride said.

“But we haven’t locked in anything else yet. He could be back and run in the Canterbury Stakes, might take him back and run in the Newmarket.

“I’m avoiding wet tracks but I’m not closing out 1400m. He could run in the All Aged or go to Brisbane and run in a Kingsford Smith.

“It will be a long prep and I’m open minded about where we go and what we do with him.”

“He’s coming back in on Monday. The idea is to come back and go to the Canterbury Stakes,” Pride said.

“The George Ryder, the Doncaster are all options. We’ll worry about it later on but I definitely want to get him to a mile.”

Jamie Walter from Proven Thoroughbreds and Pride have formed a lethal partnership in recent seasons and Pride is appreciative of the syndicator’s support.

“I really like the way Jamie does it,” Pride said.

“He does a heap of work pre-sales going to studs, doing tours.

“I’ve got to say Jamie does the majority of the work but he always makes sure I want to train the horse.