Stradbroke winning trainer Joe Pride aims Big Parade at Brisbane winter target in Healy Stakes

Gun sprinter Big Parade is set to kick off his latest campaign in the coming weeks.

Big Parade winning at Randwick in 2021. Photo: Mark Evans–Getty Images.

Newly minted Stradbroke-winning trainer Joe Pride is preparing to unleash the latest member of his strong sprint team in Brisbane during the winter.

The former Mark Newnham-trained Big Parade was one of the best performed gallopers that made their way from Randwick to Pride’s Warwick Farm base after Newnham secured a training contract in Hong Kong.

The six-year-old gelding has been off the scene for more than 12 months due to injury but he’s now ready to resume after a strong second in the second of his recent barrier trials over 792m at Warwick Farm on Friday.

“I’m really happy with the way he’s progressing,” Pride said.

“He wasn’t out there to break any records on Friday but I liked what I saw and he’s going well at home.

“The time off hasn’t hurt him and he’s come back in great order.

“He’s been with me since he came in from the pre-trainers and he’s been in work with me for around 10 weeks now.

Big Parade surges to the front and goes back to back, taking out the Group 3 Sydney Stakes.@mark_mnracing@JoshuaParr8@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/sgUHvvwNCv

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 16, 2021

“The impression he’s giving me is there’s still plenty of horse left.

“He’s a really nice horse, a very fast horse and an absolute pleasure to do anything with.”

Pride plans to give Big Parade only one run before he turns his sights to the spring carnival in Sydney.

The son of Deep Field was placed in the Group 1 Galaxy last year after he won the Group 3 Sydney Stakes earlier in the season.

“He’s ready to go and he’ll go to Brisbane to run in the (WJ) Healy Stakes at Eagle Farm in two weeks,” Pride said.

“It’s a Group 3 quality handicap with a maximum topweight of 61kg over 1200m.

“After that I plan to give him a short break then chime in early as the Sydney carnival kicks off.

“I not sure what we will tackle in the spring, it’s all on the table for him.

“He’s Group 1 performed so you can’t rule anything out, not even The Everest.”

Originally published as Stradbroke winning trainer Joe Pride aims Big Parade at Brisbane winter target in Healy Stakes