An early call to head to Melbourne for a Stakes race has paid a dividend for the connections of Private Eye.

With wet weather prevailing in Sydney, trainer Joe Pride made the call to trial Private Eye at Warwick Farm last week and bypass the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last Saturday.

The move proved a winning one as Pride set his sights on the Group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday with Private Eye doing his part.

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Sent out the $3.10 favourite under Nash Rawiller, Private Eye led throughout in scoring by two lengths from Desert Lightning ($12) with Here To Shock ($6) a half-length away third.

Recently turned eight, Private Eye was having only his second start for 2025 having finished third in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm in June.

Pride said residual fitness carried over from that outing and recent trials had Private Eye in perfect shape for Saturday’s contest.

And when Pride saw Private Eye step off the truck at Caulfield, his confidence grew.

“It was a little bit like In Flight when she won here,” Pride said.

“When I saw him get off the float, I grew in confidence. When your horses travel away, you need to see them travel well, and he looked magnificent.

“He’s an amazing athlete and that was his 13th interstate trip.

“He’s very tough and he carried a good bit of residual fitness from Queensland.

“It was only his second start for 2025. It would easily be the lightest he has been raced in some time and maybe that has got something to do with his good form at the moment.”

Pride indicated Private Eye may return for a tilt at the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30.

But tracks, and the weather, will have a bearing on what races Private Eye tackles.

“I wouldn’t rule out coming back for the Memsie, but there are plenty of races there in Sydney also,” Pride said.

“We’ll hopefully pick something off and hopefully on a better track than we got today.”

Rawiller said Private gave the jockey a pre-race scare when he hit his head on the stalls just prior to the starter releasing the field.

“Another horse got a bit agitated, and he took a dive and hit his head,” Rawiller said.

“I backed him out and got him checked, but I was confident he was well enough to race, but I just wanted to double check.

“He was really switched on today and he travelled really well from the time he left the gates.

“It’s full credit to the team at home as he’s got his zest for racing.”