Team Taiba produces an eye-catching talent

The Taiba harness racing stable at Sunbury, on the outskirts of Melbourne, has the happy knack of bobbing up with a bright prospect – and their latest new talent is an unbeaten youngster.

Cleverly-named three-year-old gelding Private Eye (Hes Watching-Oh Eye See (Armbro Operative) has faced the starter on just two occasions for two most impressive victories.

"We've always known he was a horse with heaps of potential and plenty of zip. But the secret has been in being patient with him. Last season he just wanted to go 100mph and was pull crazy," trainer Freddie Taiba said.

"There's no doubts we could have sent him around as a two-year-old because he had the ability. But I kept him home instead and he got education and more education-he probably had the hopples on every single day for six months," he said.

"He's owned by Lauren Wilson, partner of Hass, one of my brothers. I was lucky they realized the horse needed time, so there was no pressure."

Private Eye made his racetrack debut at Geelong on January 22 and after breaking in running, he was still good enough to balance up and go on and win. The gelding then cleaned up a classy field at Gunbower in the $25,000 George Croxford Memorial last Sunday-posting a new track record of 1.54-6 along the way.

Taiba said Gunbower was a "last minute decision" after Melton trials were called off.

"We'd made a few gear changes and only had a couple of fast work hit-outs after Geelong. He did go well at home against two others, so we were reasonably confident heading off to Gunbower, particularly that it's a big 1230m track," he said.

"He's still green and I just want to keep him straight. He's learning all the time and catches on pretty quick like the good ones tend to do. When he does things wrong, it's only because he doesn't know what he's doing.

"Amy Day at Goulburn broke him in, and she had a big opinion of him. We are extremely excited as he's a very capable animal. He should make a great four-year-old next season."

Taiba is now aiming Private Eye at the Breeders' Challenge heats at Wagga in April and his stablemate Our Road To Mecca will also make the trip.

"They'll be kept ticking over at home with pace work and squeeze a trial in now and again until then," he said.

Taiba has a wealth of experience behind him having worked for such astute horsemen as Geoff Webster, Alan Donohue and Peter Tonkin.

"I learnt a lot from them, but I've found it comes back a bit to just what works for you. Also horses make trainers-they are the ones that make you look good. You just have to have the stock!" he said.

"A sensational pacer we had in the past in Sushi Sushi also taught me so much. I think we won 17 in a row at one stage with him. We really looked after him. Treated him like he was one of our children and learnt that horses are creatures of habit.

"We keep them to a schedule and after that they are left alone. Most don't enjoy being fussed over. Sushi Sushi was certainly in that category. He was mean if we changed things up."

Taiba said he has wonderful family support with his brothers in Ahmed, Hass, Sam and Gus all playing a vital role, along with his wife Montana and mother-in-law Pauline Stark.

"They all chip in and help which is great. Hass is the one with a good eye for selecting and buying yearlings. He is also a breeding guru and looks closely at conformation and all that stuff. Lauren races Private Eye in her name because I think she may have picked him out," he said.

The Taiba's are renowned for turning their horses out in tip-top condition and Freddie said their training facilities played a big part in this.

The complex is situated on 40 acres and includes a 1000m fastwork track, with an 800m sand track on the inside. There's also swimming facilities and the obligatory green paddocks.

"We don't work them excessively hard, but the days of jig-jogging are long gone. Many of our horses are now American bred and they're speed freaks. You have got to learn to manage it," Taiba said.

Terry Gange

NewsAlert PR Mildura