His recent form is patchy. In his last six races he has finished eighth, second, twelfth, ninth, first, and seventh—that fifth-place result was actually a win, so he has shown some spark lately, but the consistency simply isn't there. When he is placed at distances between seven furlongs and a mile, his record improves to 1 win from 7 races, a rate of one in seven. That is his sweet spot, even if it remains a long way from reliable.
Adrian Wintle trains him from Westbury-On-Severn in Gloucestershire, a yard that has sent out 30 winners already this season and clearly knows what it is doing. What is puzzling is his partnership with his regular rider, Donagh O'Connor: they have teamed up six times without a single win between them. Whether that is a quirk of bad luck or a sign that something isn't quite clicking is hard to say. What is clear is that Private Officer remains a horse very much on the fringes—capable of a placing, capable even of the odd win, but not yet the kind of runner you would back with confidence. At five years old and still active, he has time to turn things around, but the gap since his last victory suggests time may be running out.
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gowran Park Undulating |
3 | 1 third, 2 other | 3 Jun | 0% |
| Ffos Las Galloping |
2 | 1 second, 1 other | 21 Sep | 0% |
| The Curragh Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 31 Oct | 0% |
| Bellewstown Sharp |
1 | 1 win | 3 Oct | 100% |
| Dundalk Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 22 Nov | 0% |
| Naas Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 14 Oct | 0% |
| Killarney Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 23 Aug | 0% |
| Roscommon Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 14 Oct | 0% |
| Limerick Galloping |
1 | 1 third | 16 May | 0% |
| Kempton Park Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 29 Oct | 0% |