Joe Pride has drawn on past successes and failures to have his Epsom Handicap chances ready to run the race of their lives at Randwick on Saturday.For months Pride has had his eyes set on the time-honoured $500,000 feature Randwick mile (1600m) with both Neeson and Sacred Choice, and is confident he's done his job by having them at their peak for the occasion."Both horses are spot-on, they have had the perfect preparations," he said."To me that's what these big races are all about, giving your h
Joe Pride has drawn on past successes and failures to have his Epsom Handicap chances ready to run the race of their lives at Randwick on Saturday.
For months Pride has had his eyes set on the time-honoured $500,000 feature Randwick mile (1600m) with both Neeson and Sacred Choice, and is confident he's done his job by having them at their peak for the occasion.
"Both horses are spot-on, they have had the perfect preparations," he said.
"To me that's what these big races are all about, giving your horse every opportunity on the big day and making sure everything falls into place.
"The good horses teach you ... you learn from your mistakes.
"I know these two horses really well, I've had them for multiple preparations and I believe I know how to get them right on the day. I couldn't be happier with the preparations they've had."
Pride, 38, is now firmly established as one of Sydney's leading trainers having secured a top-four premiership finish in the past two seasons.
The trainer will be chasing a sixth Group One victory and his second feature Randwick mile after Vision And Power's Doncaster win last year.
His other majors have been the 2005 Doomben 10,000 and 2006 TJ Smith Stakes with Red Oog, 2006 Coolmore Classic with Regal Cheer and Vision And Power's 2009 George Ryder Stakes.
Neeson, winner of the Group Three Tramway Handicap (1400m), has been something of a favourite of Pride's pretty much from the moment last year when he received a phone call out of the blue asking if he'd like to train the horse.
"I was pretty excited about him, to be honest," Pride said this week.
"There were two horses in that period that walked through the door - him and De Lightning Ridge - where I just immediately really liked the horses as athletes.
"I got pretty excited about them both and fortunately it's turned out really well, one is favourite for the Epsom this weekend and the other mare won a Group Two (Challenge Stakes) within a couple of starts of being at the stable."
Pride mapped out an identical race preparation for Neeson and Sacred Choice heading towards the Epsom with three starts - Show County Quality, Tramway Handicap, Shannon Stakes - leading into Sydney's flagship spring race day.
Both horses will be contesting their first Group One on Saturday.
Sacred Choice is a Group Two and Listed winner at her only two starts over the Randwick mile and has been placed in both the Show County (1200m) and Shannon (1500m) leading into the Epsom.
However, to win she will have to overcome a 34-year Epsom hoodoo for mares.
Neeson was a luckless sixth in the Shannon Stakes at his final Epsom lead-up, and despite drifting from favouritism this week Pride wouldn't swap him for any other runner in the race.
"He is what he is and regardless of his price he's the horse to beat in my eyes in the Epsom," Pride said.
"Hopefully we get a bit of luck in running."