Race day preview for Monday’s Australia Day card at Warwick Farm

Trainer Joe Pride is chasing another Australia Day Cup at Warwick Farm on Monday.

WYONG, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 11: Alysha Collett riding Bullets High win Race 7 De Bortoli Wines during Sydney Racing: Wyong 150th Anniversary And The Lakes Race Day at Wyong Racecourse on January 11, 2025 in Wyong, Australia. (Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)

Joe Pride aims to cement his reputation as the Australia Day ‘Cups King’ when the once maligned galloper Bullets High chases his first stakes on Monday.

Pride has collected three of the last nine editions of the Australia Day Cup, two with his beloved war-horse Destiny’s Kiss (2016/2017) and the most recent with Kaapfever who was steered to victory in 2021 by Alysha Collett.

Collett retains the ride of Bullets High in this year’s renewal after lifting the son of Ace High over the line at Wyong on The Lakes undercard 16-days ago.

Another tight finish at @WyongRaceClub, BULLETS HIGH prevails though in a driving finish, making it a double for @PrideRacing!@AlyshaCollettpic.twitter.com/c8c2zKuF3m

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 11, 2025

The win, whilst somewhat overdue, was a welcome relief for his loyal fans and a reward for effort after a string of placings that diminished his public reputation but not so among those who know him best.

“It’s a mistake people think he’s not having a go,’’ Pride told The Daily Telegraph.

“He is genuine but lacks racecraft and does things wrong. He doesn’t execute very well but the talent is there.’’

Bullets High has book-ended this current campaign with wins in a Benchmark 72 during Everest week and a Benchmark 88 at Wyong on The Lakes day.

Monday will be only his second taste of black-type racing since failing in the Queensland Derby on a notably shifty track.

“It is probably a little bit early than I generally take my horses into stakes grade given he has won four races but stayers can make their graduation a little bit quicker than sprinters,’’ Pride explained.

“And I just thought he is so good at Warwick Farm that I have had this race in mind for a month or two. It was a nice target.’’

Bullets High is chasing his first stakes victory. Picture: Jeremy Ng - Getty Images

Pride, fresh from his Randwick perfect-double on Saturday, is naturally eager for The Replicant to post an infrequent win on Monday but won’t hold against the son of Tivaci if it doesn’t happen.

The $130,000 Karaka purchase has a rather odd record of three wins from 34 starts but 20 placings, split precisely down the middle, 10 seconds, 10 thirds.

“Again, I think he’s pretty genuine,’’ Pride says.

“It’s not like he looms up and then gets knocked off. He normally just finds one better than him, or two better than him sometimes. But he pays the bills.

“He is a funny horse. I am kind of attached to him. I probably could have moved him on a while ago but he has got a quirky sort of personality so we keep him around, he’s a bit of fun.’’

The Replicant is a particularly well-bred Kiwi.

A son of the 2017 ATC All Aged Stakes winner Tivaci, The Replicant is out of a three-quarter-sister to five-times Group 1 winner Alamosa.

On top of that, his seventh dam is the immortal Chicquita whose mating to Star Kingdom in 1960 resulted in the Golden Slipper winner, Eskimo Prince.

Interestingly, Chicquita was runner-up to Comic Court in the 1950 Melbourne Cup.

They combined to produce Comicquita who was himself a Cup placegetter, beaten by Even Stevens in 1962.

Speaking of the Melbourne Cup, Pride will saddle up newcomer Cosmic Lad for the first time at Warwick Farm on Monday.

The gelding is a grandson of Miss Meliss who has her 15th and final start in the famous 2002 Melbourne finishing an honourable 10th behind Media Puzzle.

“I was impressed from the moment he walked in the door about a month ago,’’ Pride said.

“He’s done well. I’ve given him a little trial the other day and in what looks a very moderate midweek level race, that he’d be very effective.’’

Originally published as Race day preview for Monday’s Australia Day card at Warwick Farm