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| Staff Writer |
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Jamie Walter, co-owner and Principal of Proven Thoroughbreds is plotting a path back to Everest for his stable stars Think About It and Private Eye. Having made history in 2023 by finishing first and third, respectively, in the A$20 million sprint, the duo is cementing Proven Thoroughbreds' status as a force to be reckoned with in Australian racing.
Jamie Walter, co-owner and Principal of Proven Thoroughbreds, is plotting a path back to The Everest for his stable stars Think About It and Private Eye. Having made history in 2023 by finishing first and third, respectively, in the A$20 million sprint, the duo is cementing Proven Thoroughbreds' status as a force to be reckoned with in Australian racing.
With the 2024 Spring Carnival fast approaching, Walter’s team have started preparations for his prized runners. "Both are back at work," Walter reveals. "Private Eye is slightly ahead of Think About It. Both horses have to earn their spot."
The Everest, now in its eighth year, is firmly establishing itself as one of the world's richest turf races. Noting the evolving landscape of slot allocation, Walter says: "I'm watching the progress of this young race quite closely. The initial tendency from slot holders was to dive in and get a horse as quickly as possible. Now they're getting a bit more selective and choosing horses much later."
Being an Everest veteran, trainer Joe Pride has been tasked with preparing the stable's stars. Expressing confidence in Pride's approach, Walter says: "Joe is very experienced. Having had runners in the Everest before these two, he has a sort of standard way of preparing the horses."
However, emphasising the individuality of each horse's needs, he adds: "Private Eye and Think About It are two vastly different personalities. One's high energy and the other is rather very laid back. But on race day, they're both high-level performers. So, in terms of the preparation, he's just going to tailor their campaigns for the race. "
With over three decades of experience, the syndicator can clearly see that spring holds more promise for his stable stars.
"He's (Private Eye) performed really well in the last few springs, and not so well in the autumn.
Autumns in Sydney can be very damp and humid. So we get a lot of rain, which affects the tracks. And whilst Private Eye was successful on those sorts of tracks when he was a younger horse coming through his grades, once he's reached this top level, he clearly prefers firm ground to soft ground. So that's compromised his last few autumns, I think.
And we've had a bit of bad luck, too, and probably there was a bit of pilot error.”
According to Walter, the same considerations apply to Think About It, who also had a "forgettable autumn.” "We're hoping that in the spring, with sunshine and firmer tracks, both horses can regain their best form."
This preference for firmer ground is shaping the stable's strategy. "Once reaching this top level, like nearly all horses, they're developing a preference for one type of going over the other. And he clearly prefers firm ground to soft ground. So hopefully, a drier spring will be advantageous to him as well."
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When asked about potential changes to their Everest approach based on the 2024 experience, Walter says: "Joe's a very experienced trainer, excelling at setting horses for specific days. So, in terms of tweaking lots, there's not much to tweak."
The Everest, inaugurated in 2017, has rapidly become the world's richest turf race, standing as a jewel in the crown of the Sydney Spring Carnival. Running over 1200 metres at Royal Randwick in October, it features a unique slot-holder concept with participants buying in for A$700,000 per slot. Anchoring the carnival, which spans from September to November, The Everest showcases top-class racing across Sydney's premier tracks. With its massive purse and innovative format, The Everest is reshaping the Australian racing calendar and attracting international attention to Sydney's spring racing scene.
While focusing on their Everest contenders, Proven Thoroughbreds is also nurturing emerging talents. Walter highlights two promising four-year-olds, The Black Cloud and In Flight, who are showing potential during the winter months.
"They're a long way short of Everest class at the moment. But being young and promising, both have a lot of ability," Walter says. He praises Pride's patient approach to developing horses: "One of Joe's great virtues as a trainer is his capacity for developing these horses, not pressuring them too much when they're younger. So you tend to see them clicking as they get older."
The Black Cloud is set to make her stakes debut at the end of August. However, Walter is tempering expectations for an aggressive spring campaign. "We won't be giving her a very taxing spring this year," he states, adding that "she's likely 12 months away from Everest company."
Walter emphasises the importance of managing owner expectations, particularly when developing young talent. "Racing horses is a numbers game. But you've got to be ruthless in determining their futures once they reach a point of judgement, if they're not making the grade, you've got to sell them on."
This approach is contributing to Proven Thoroughbreds' remarkable success in 2024, with 62 winners and over A$16 million in prize money. Walter attributes this to their strategy of buying 35 to 40 yearlings annually and efficiently moving on from horses that fall short of meeting expectations.
When selecting young talents, Walter outlines five key factors: pedigree, physical attributes, veterinary approval, the reputation of the breeding farm, and, crucially, the price. "You can be liking a lot of horses for all those affirmative reasons. But if it's too expensive, you can't be buying it," he explains.
Looking ahead to the spring, Walter remains flexible in his planning, particularly regarding track conditions. "If Sydney's having a wet spring, we can take him [Private Eye] to Melbourne as an option. So could Think About It," he reveals. "Track conditions are pretty important. And if we're not getting a suitable track in Sydney, we'll be forced to consider Melbourne as an alternative."
As Proven Thoroughbreds aims to build on their Everest success, Walter reflects on the importance of celebrating victories in a sport where losses are more common. "We had a night with a lot of friends and some of the owners and the slot holders and Joe and his wife at a restaurant in Sydney. It was a great night. And then later on we organised a lunch for all the owners to celebrate and reflect once the victory [sunk in]."
With their stars back in work and a crop of promising youngsters waiting in the wings, all eyes are on Proven Thoroughbreds as they look to dominate another Spring Carnival. The racing world eagerly awaits to see if Think About It and Private Eye can replicate their Everest heroics, while The Black Cloud and In Flight may yet spring a surprise as they are stepping up in class.
With the countdown to The Everest underway once again, Jamie Walter and Proven Thoroughbreds are standing poised for another tilt at glory, armed with experience, talent, and a proven recipe for success in Australia's richest race.