Pride, enjoying a great summer with a winning strike rate of 24 per cent across his past 50 starters, hoped Accredited could handle the challenge of a makeshift lead-in.
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โThere was time to give him a couple more gallops, but I generally donโt like my horses having more than three weeks between runs without a trial, but there wasnโt an opportunity,โ he said.
โSo heโs potentially a touch soft, but when horses are coming back in trip, I think you get away with that quite often.
โIf he was going up 200 or 400 metres off four weeks between runs, Iโd be more concerned. It still profiles OK for him.โ
Regardless of the result, Accredited has been a revelation for Pride this time in.
โHe started off in the midweeks, so if you can start off there and win a group 3 at the end of your prep, itโs been a pretty solid prep. Not many do that,โ Pride said.
In the fifth, Pride expected an improved run from Storm The Ramparts ($12) from gate two. He was a beaten favourite last start at Canterbury.
โHe gets the blinkers back on, and thatโs a big gear change for him,โ he said.
โWith the inside draw as well, heโll run a bold race.
โOn face value, he was disappointing last start, but he was in at Warwick Farm a week or so before that, and he was scratched at the barriers. When that happens, youโve missed a run, so he was a bit soft.โ
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Meanwhile, Pride said Private Eye would have a break before preparations for a Queensland winter campaign after suffering an eye infection.
โHeโs in the paddock, and Iโll probably give him a month off, and heโll be right for the Brisbane winter, which heโs done successfully before,โ he said.
Stable star Ceolwulf led all the way in his second trial on Thursday at Warwick Farm ahead of his return in the Apollo Stakes in two weeks. Likely rival Via Sistina was second, one and two-third lengths back.
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