OSMOND JOINS PRIVATE HARRY’S BLOSSOMING FAN CLUB

NEWCASTLE apprentice Ben Osmond has been getting a “driver’s seat feel” of Private Harry ahead of the Newcastle star’s eagerly awaited Royal Randwick return on Saturday.

Whilst Ash Morgan is the unbeaten four-year-old’s jockey and will continue the brilliant association with him in the $1m Group 2 The Shorts (1100m), Osmond has been playing an important role behind the scenes.

He was aboard Private Harry at Broadmeadow this morning when he went three-quarter pace solo on the sand track.

Osmond is apprenticed to leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees, but has been helping out Private Harry’s trainer Nathan Doyle before he starts trackwork for the “boss”.

“I’ve been riding Private Harry for about the last month in pacework and cantering, other than when Ash comes in to ride him in grass track gallops,” Osmond explained.

“Kris doesn’t start working his horses until 5.30am, so I am able to go in and ride Private Harry earlier.

“The horse is in great order. He is built like a tank and feels very powerful.”

 Osmond is currently suspended (he is due to resume next Friday), and will be a TV spectator on Saturday when Private Harry steps out in The Shorts to hopefully maintain his unblemished record and cement his position as second favorite for the richest race on turf, the $20m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 18.

“I’ll be watching for sure,” he said. “It will be good to see how he goes.”

Doyle’s racing manager David Dyson said Private Harry will canter tomorrow morning and again on race morning.

“As Private Harry’s race isn’t until late (race nine at 4.40pm) on Saturday, Nathan likes to stretch the horse’s legs with an early morning canter at the track.”

Private Harry, currently $6 second favorite behind Hong Kong champ Ka Ying Rising ($1.70) for The Everest, was the subject of a $15,000 bet with TAB.com.au this morning at $2.30 in The Shorts.

He is now an even more dominant favorite at $2.10, with fellow Group 1 winner and Everest rival Briasa next at $4.

Meanwhile, Doyle has split races for his mares Overriding and Churchill’s Choice over the next couple of days.

Overriding (Kerrin McEvoy) will contest tomorrow’s Group 3 Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at Newcastle, and Churchill’s Choice (Rachel King) will be kept for Saturday’s Shoot Out Mile (a 1600m Benchmark 88 Handicap) at Randwick.

Doyle put blinkers on Overriding when she ran an excellent second to Just Feelin’ Lucky in the Group 3 Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) at the Wyong Cup meeting on September 5.

“Overriding has done really well since Wyong, and the blinkers stay on her,” Dyson said.

“Nathan has decided to also put them on Churchill’s Choice for the first time.

“She resumed in the Mona Lisa after one trial at Gosford, and the run wasn’t bad.

“Churchill’s Choice has galloped well in the blinkers, and the bigger track at Randwick will suit her better.

“She won over the Randwick ‘mile’ last December, and raced very well in the three-year-old features in Brisbane during the winter.”

Story John Curtis, September 18, 2025