HARRY’S YOUNGER BROTHER MOVES IN

AS one stable door closed, the same one re-opened!

When Newcastle’s glamour colt Private Harry left his box at trainer Nathan Doyle’s stables at Broadmeadow early this morning for a well-deserved break at Kurrinda Bloodstock’s property at Fordwich in the Hunter Valley, his unraced younger half-brother Lance Corporal moved in.

Two-year-old Lance Corporal (by Anders) returns as a gelding, and has done some pre-training in preparation for what hopefully will be his first racing campaign.

As Kurrinda principal Sean Driver so aptly put it this morning, everything went wrong with the youngster’s Rosehill Gardens barrier trial just before Christmas.

“Lance Corporal choked down when last in the 900m trial (won by fellow Newcastle two-year-old Rivellino, who won his first three starts before a luckless fourth in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill on March 22),” Driver said this morning.

“We decided to geld him, and he had two months out and has had a few weeks pre-training.

“We know Lance Corporal has ability, so we’re looking forward to seeing how he progresses.”

Kurrinda Bloodstock, well aware of Private Harry’s ability before he had raced, purchased Lance Corporal for $100,000 at the same Inglis Classic yearling sale last year where his now unbeaten three-year-old older half-brother fetched $115,000 12 months earlier.

Private Harry, whom Kurrinda sold 50 per cent to Yulong Investments late last week making him now a multi-million dollar commodity to stand at stud when his racing career ends, was 20 minutes away from arriving at the syndicator’s Fordwich property when ProvincialRacing NSW spoke with Sean Driver just after 9am.

“We’re very comfortable with the decision to spell him instead of running in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday,” Driver said.

“Private Harry has done a fantastic job winning all five races, culminating with the Group 1 The Galaxy at Rosehill recently in his what was his first racing preparation.

“He’s had a few trips to Rosehill, a trip to the Gold Coast and then another trip to the Sunshine Coast when the Sunlight Plate in early January had to be transferred.

“He had only 10 days at the farm when he came home from Queensland after winning the Sunlight before going back to Nathan’s stables to be set for The Galaxy.”

Driver said Private Harry would spell for 5-6 weeks and then be aimed at the $20m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 18.

Courtesy of Yulong’s slot, he is the first horse into this year’s renewal of Australia’s richest race.

“We still have to finalise Private Harry’s program, but we’re looking to give him a couple of trials and race twice before going into The Everest third-up,” Driver said.

Private Harry is currently $6 second favorite for The Everest behind Hong Kong sensation Ka Ying Rising ($2.50), who reeled off his 11th straight victory with ease at Sha Tin last Sunday in the Group 2 Sprint Cup (1200m).

Whilst The Everest is Private Harry’s spring mission, connections also are keen to take him to the UK next winter our time for Royal Ascot’s famous carnival.

His target will be the Group 1 King Charles IIII Stakes (1006m) on the opening day of the five-day meet.

Formerly the King’s Stand Stakes, the feature sprint has been won by six Australian sprinters, firstly Newcastle trainer Paul Perry’s brilliant trail-blazing chestnut Choisir in 2003, and the latest Melbourne mare Asfoora last year.

. HOOFNOTE:  Private Harry and Lance Corporal’s yearling half-sister (pictured aboveby Captivant) was purchased for $220,000 at the Inglis Classic sale in February.

Kurrinda Bloodstock has fully syndicated her, and she is currently being broken in.

“The filly is yet to be named, but thanks to Private Harry, she has now been valued at around $450,000,” Driver said.

Story John Curtis, April 1, 2025