Pride Pins Neeson As New Stable Star

Neeson

Neeson will begin his Spring Carnival preparation with a barrier trial today

Trainer Joe Pride has high hopes for his four-year-old gelding Neeson, who will begin his spring season preparation with a barrier trial today.

The trainer is waving goodbye to dual Group 1 winner Vision And Power, who will now go to live out his retirement days at Meredith Park in the New South Wales Southern Hinterlands.

“It’s a great place for him to go and he will be running around with the other horses,” Pride said.

“Vision And Power has been a stalwart of the stable and is going to a great home.”

Pride’s Hadaaf will also move on to retirement, but through a different avenue.

The light grey gelding will now attempt to persue a career as a clerk of the course.

“Hopefully Hadaaf makes the grade as a clerk of the course’s horse,” Pride said.

With two of his best horses moving on, Pride is now looking towards the talented Neeson to be his next stable star.

“They have both done a great job and now I’m looking forward to Neeson,” Pride said.

“He will trial on Tuesday and be aimed at the Epsom again.”

The trainer is confident that Neeson has recovered from a procedure to remove knee chips, which forced him out of the autumn carnival.

“He’s good, I’m very happy with his progress,” Pride said.

The Warwick Farm trainer currently sits in fourth place on the New South Wales trainers’ ladder.

“I’m happy where we sit at fourth where we have been for the last three years,” Pride said.

“I have no real aspirations beyond that. I can’t do it with the numbers I have and I don’t want to expand and become too big.”

Pride’s biggest high of the season was reached with Sacred Choice, who won the $2 million Doncaster Mile in April.

“It’s been a good season with a couple of Group Ones from Sacred Choice to make it even better,” Pride said.

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