Latest news with #NashRawiller
South China Morning Post
13-06-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Private Eye chases history in Stradbroke Handicap
The Joseph Pride-trained galloper will look to defy a big weight and a long break at Eagle Farm on Saturday Sydney trainer Joseph Pride is undeterred by the challenges facing Private Eye when the outstanding miler tackles the Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1,400m) at Eagle Farm in Brisbane, Australia on Saturday. Assigned top weight of 57kg (125.6lb), Private Eye will resume after a 182-day break and will have to defy history as he attempts to become the first horse to carry 57kg or more to victory in the Stradbroke Handicap since Rough Habit successfully carried 58.5kg in 1992. Additionally, winning the Stradbroke Handicap first up is a rare achievement after an extended break with Crawl famously bucking the trend by triumphing in 2001 off a 56-day break. 'Records are made to be broken and I don't think first up is what it used to be,' said Pride, a former protégé of 12-time Hong Kong champion trainer John Size. 'I've also given Private Eye four barrier trials, I'm very happy with him and he won't be beaten on the score of fitness. 'His trial last Friday at Rosehill was everything I wanted to see from him. He jumped and put himself on the speed. He wanted to be there and that's the best version of Private Eye. 'He ran second in a Stradbroke three years ago [behind Alligator Blood] and I feel he's ready to run super again on Saturday.' Nash Rawiller will ride Private Eye, while Jason Collett will partner Golden Mile for James Cummings. An EPIC finish in the G1 Kingsford Smith Cup sees Joliestar nab them right on the line to take her third Group 1! 🤩@cwallerracing @mcacajamez@BrisRacingClub @RaceQLD — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 7, 2025 Briefly retired to start a breeding career, Golden Mile was gelded after being injured at stud and the Group One winner returned to racing in March before catching the eye when third to Joliestar in the Group One Kingsford Smith Cup (1,300m) at Eagle Farm last Saturday. 'It'd be a great story for Golden Mile, who has come back from stud duties and he's been warming to a win,' said Cummings, who was this week announced as the newest addition to the Hong Kong training roster. 'He was excellent [last start] and he's been building up to that. 'A bit over a month ago he screamed home for third in the Victory Stakes and that had him back in the form he was 12 months ago, just prior to him going to stud.' Other leading chances in the Stradbroke Handicap are War Machine and Rise At Dawn – who are both trained by Ben, Will and JD Hayes – veteran Rothfire, who will be ridden by James McDonald, and Robusto, who is trained by Bjorn Baker. The Stradbroke Handicap is one of two races from Brisbane being simulcast for betting by the Jockey Club before Saturday's Sha Tin meeting.
The Australian
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Australian
Chris Waller gives hobby trainer reason to believe he can complete Stradbroke fairytale
As he counts down the days to a fairytale crack at the 2025 Stradbroke Handicap, larrikin Brisbane hobby trainer Craig Cousins has the words of Chris Waller ringing in his ears. It will be a David versus Goliath battle in the Stradbroke as 60-year-old Cousins, who only has three horses in work, takes on some of racing's biggest names. Cousins knows he has a good horse and a good Stradbroke chance with home-bred hero The Inflictor, who is a $15 chance in Queensland's most prestigious race on Saturday week. • 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! The Inflictor qualified for the Stradbroke by scoring a golden ticket when winning The Gateway at Eagle Farm and he rubber-stamped his claims by scoring at Doomben last month with Nash Rawiller in the saddle. Enter Waller, who has infused Cousins with extra confidence and belief heading into the $3m Stradbroke. • Benagil still Oaks benchmark 'if she brings her A-game' 'I had never met Chris Waller before, I had just seen him from a distance and that was about it,' Cousins said. 'He's obviously a master at what he does. 'I was walking around after the race the other day and I heard someone yelling, 'Craig, Craig'. 'I recognised the voice and it was Chris Waller. He shook my hand and congratulated me. 'Chris said, 'this is what racing is about, this is a great story'. He said he wished me all the best for the Stradbroke. 'I told Chris he would probably have a good Stradbroke horse himself. 'He said, 'don't worry about mine Craig, yours is a genuine chance'.' Four-year-old The Inflictor has won $499,000 in prizemoney and will add another $1.8m to that haul if he scores the Group 1 Stradbroke at Eagle Farm. It would be one of the greatest stories in Stradbroke history. • 'You'll see the best of her Saturday': Vandyke's warning to Oaks rivals Cousins juggles his day job as a truck driver with his work training horses but will put the handbrakes on the truck driving job next week so he can enjoy Stradbroke week. He has even bought himself a new suit for Stradbroke week and several new ties. He plans to lap up the week and go to Breakfast With The Stars at Eagle Farm on Tuesday as well as the barrier draw function at The Star on Tuesday night. 'Life wouldn't change too much if I won the Stradbroke, but it would be a bloody good feeling,' Cousins said. 'My horse's win the other day was really impressive, I didn't realise how impressive it was until I watched a replay later. 'I can only have three horses at the one time, if I have any more it's too hard doing it one-out. 'I do get an occasional hand off different friends, but most of the time it's just me. 'This horse will have a red-hot go in the Stradbroke.'
News.com.au
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Chris Waller gives hobby trainer Craig Cousins reason to believe he can complete Stradbroke Handicap fairytale
As he counts down the days to a fairytale crack at the 2025 Stradbroke Handicap, larrikin Brisbane hobby trainer Craig Cousins has the words of Chris Waller ringing in his ears. It will be a David versus Goliath battle in the Stradbroke as 60-year-old Cousins, who only has three horses in work, takes on some of racing's biggest names. Cousins knows he has a good horse and a good Stradbroke chance with home-bred hero The Inflictor, who is a $15 chance in Queensland's most prestigious race on Saturday week. The Inflictor qualified for the Stradbroke by scoring a golden ticket when winning The Gateway at Eagle Farm and he rubber-stamped his claims by scoring at Doomben last month with Nash Rawiller in the saddle. Enter Waller, who has infused Cousins with extra confidence and belief heading into the $3m Stradbroke. 'I had never met Chris Waller before, I had just seen him from a distance and that was about it,' Cousins said. 'He's obviously a master at what he does. 'I was walking around after the race the other day and I heard someone yelling, 'Craig, Craig'. 'I recognised the voice and it was Chris Waller. 'He shook my hand and congratulated me. 'Chris said, 'this is what racing is about, this is a great story'. 'He said he wished me all the best for the Stradbroke. 'I told Chris he would probably have a good Stradbroke horse himself. 'He said, 'don't worry about mine Craig, yours is a genuine chance'.' The Inflictor dominates Race 2 at Doomben! ðŸ'° @nashhot — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025 Four-year-old The Inflictor has won $499,000 in prizemoney and will add another $1.8m to that haul if he scores the Group 1 Stradbroke at Eagle Farm. It would be one of the greatest stories in Stradbroke history. Cousins juggles his day job as a truck driver with his work training horses but will put the handbrakes on the truck driving job next week so he can enjoy Stradbroke week. He has even bought himself a new suit for Stradbroke week and several new ties. He plans to lap up the week and go to Breakfast With The Stars at Eagle Farm on Tuesday as well as the barrier draw function at The Star on Tuesday night. 'Life wouldn't change too much if I won the Stradbroke, but it would be a bloody good feeling,' Cousins said. 'My horse's win the other day was really impressive, I didn't realise how impressive it was until I watched a replay later. 'I can only have three horses at the one time, if I have any more it's too hard doing it one-out. 'I do get an occasional hand off different friends, but most of the time it's just me. 'This horse will have a red-hot go in the Stradbroke.'
The Australian
26-05-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
2025 Kingsford Smith Cup: Private Eye thrills trainer Joe Pride
Trainer Joe Pride maintains Private Eye is 'going as well as ever' after the $11.9 million prizemoney earner cruised through a crucial barrier trial at Warwick Farm on Monday. Private Eye, who was trialling without blinkers, was kept wide and under a tight hold by jockey Nash Rawiller as he finished fifth behind Glenbower in his 800m heat. Pride was using the Warwick Farm hitout – the gelding's third barrier trial this preparation – to ready his evergreen sprinter for a comeback in Saturday's Group 1 $1 million Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm. • 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! 'Private Eye is going super and was only out to have a quiet trial,'' Pride said. 'He is thriving. I said to Jamie (Walter, part-owner) the other day, 'I'm going to say something outlandish here but I think he is going better than he has ever gone'. 'I realise that is a stupid statement to make about a horse of his age but Nash came in after riding him and said something similar. 'Private Eye's an amazing horse, he has more than done his job, but to still have him around at his age is great – and he's not around to make up the numbers, he is going really well.'' In early TAB Fixed Odds betting for the Kingsford Smith Cup, Private Eye is at $11 behind brilliant mare Joliestar at $3.50. • Richard Callander: C'mon Queenslanders, settle down about Antino in the Cox Plate Private Eye hasn't raced since finishing fourth to the Bjorn Baker-trained Robusto in the Group 2 The Ingham last December but he does have a very good first-up record and Pride has specifically prepared the sprinter for Saturday's race. Robusto, who was in career-best form last summer with his win in The Ingham and second placings in the Festival Stakes (to Private Eye), The Buffering and The Lakes, impressed winning the first heat over 1208m of the Warwick Farm trials session by nearly three lengths.
News.com.au
26-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘He's going better than he's ever gone': Private Eye thrills trainer Joe Pride ahead of 2025 Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm
Trainer Joe Pride maintains Private Eye is 'going as well as ever' after the $11.9 million prizemoney earner cruised through a crucial barrier trial at Warwick Farm on Monday. Private Eye, who was trialling without blinkers, was kept wide and under a tight hold by jockey Nash Rawiller as he finished fifth behind Glenbower in his 800m heat. Pride was using the Warwick Farm hitout – the gelding's third barrier trial this preparation – to ready his evergreen sprinter for a comeback in Saturday's Group 1 $1 million Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm. 'Private Eye is going super and was only out to have a quiet trial,'' Pride said. 'He is thriving. I said to Jamie (Walter, part-owner) the other day, 'I'm going to say something outlandish here but I think he is going better than he has ever gone'. 'I realise that is a stupid statement to make about a horse of his age but Nash came in after riding him and said something similar. 'Private Eye's an amazing horse, he has more than done his job, but to still have him around at his age is great – and he's not around to make up the numbers, he is going really well.'' In early TAB Fixed Odds betting for the Kingsford Smith Cup, Private Eye is at $11 behind brilliant mare Joliestar at $3.50. Private Eye hasn't raced since finishing fourth to the Bjorn Baker -trained Robusto in the Group 2 The Ingham last December but he does have a very good first-up record and Pride has specifically prepared the sprinter for Saturday's race. Robusto, who was in career-best form last summer with his win in The Ingham and second placings in the Festival Stakes (to Private Eye), The Buffering and The Lakes, impressed winning the first heat over 1208m of the Warwick Farm trials session by nearly three lengths.
