Rabbitohs supporters Joe Pride and son Brave are teaming up with Private Eye and Mariamia in Saturday’s TJ Smith Stakes

Joe Pride and his son Brave are launching a two-pronged attack on Saturday’s TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick.

Trainer Joe Pride (right), with his son, Brave, 17 and TJ Smith Stakes runner Private Eye at his Warwick Farm stables on Wednesday. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Trainer Joe Pride has had some extra help preparing brilliant sprinters, Private Eye and Mariamia, for the Group 1 $3m Furphy TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Pride’s son, Brave, is doing his Year 12 half-yearly exams but had a couple of spare days this week which he spent working at his father’s Warwick Farm stables.

In fact, 17-year-old Brave Pride is a regular at the stables and has been his father’s “shadow” at Sydney Saturday race meetings for years now.

“I reckon I first started to take an interest in racing when I was about 11,’’ Brave Pride said.

“Dad had a horse called New Tipperary at the time and although he was no champion he was a really cool horse and got me invested in racing.

“Then about two years ago I started working at the stables part time on weekends and during school holidays. I really like being around horses, they all have different characters and you have your favourites for sure.’’

Brave, who has an encyclopaedic knowledge of form, revealed his ambitions of eventually joining his father in the training business.

“I do want to go overseas and learn more about the industry,’’ he said.

“I would like to go to Japan, they have an amazing racing and breeding industry, even to Hong Kong with John Size.

“I’m just keen to learn and my main aim is to become a trainer.’’

Joe Pride hasn’t tried to talk his son out of following in his footsteps, believing it would only make Brave more determined to become a trainer.

“Brave is quite independent,’’ Joe said.

“He listens to me and takes it all in and is not afraid to form his own opinion.’’

This is probably why Pride spent two years before finally convincing his son, Brave, to follow his beloved South Sydney Rabbitohs.

“When Brave was only about five years of age, he liked St George-Illawarra,’’ Pride said.

“I had a hard time explaining to a little boy that a rabbit could beat a dragon but he saw the light before Souths won the 2014 premiership.’’

Brave Pride with TJ Smith aspirant Private Eye at the Warwick Farm stables of his father Joe.Picture: Justin Lloyd.

On Friday night, father and son will be cheering for their beloved South Sydney Rabbitohs in their big clash with Melbourne Storm at Accor Stadium.

If Souths can win, it could set the tone for the Pride stable on Saturday where Group 1-winning stablemates Private Eye and Mariamia line up against a crack field of sprinters in the TJ Smith Stakes.

“I might be a bit biased because I’ve got runners in the TJ Smith Stakes but I think this is the race of the day,’’ Pride said.

“The Doncaster is one of the best Doncasters I’ve seen for a long while but the TJ is amazing.

“People loves these kinds of races because they know every horse in it, they have backed them all before and they have their favourites.’’

Private Eye resumed with a closing fourth in In Secret’s Newmarket Handicap while Mariamia comes off her Group 1 The Galaxy win.

“I don’t think the Newmarket suited Private Eye,’’ Pride said.

“He got stranded back there in an unfamiliar position with nothing to take him into the race so he had to make a run by himself.

“There were horses charging out wide and Private Eye couldn’t see them because they were 30-40m away.’’

Mariamia has earned her chance in the TJ Smith Stakes after a brilliant The Galaxy win last start.

“I would have preferred a better barrier for Mariamia as she might need a few favours and I’m not sure she is going to get them from where she is drawn,’’ Pride said. “But she is in career-best form and couldn’t be better in herself.’’

Originally published as Rabbitohs supporters Joe Pride and son Brave are teaming up with Private Eye and Mariamia in Saturday’s TJ Smith Stakes