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By Ray Hickson

Jockey Alysha Collett says she’ll have no trouble repeating the tactics that took consistent stayer Bullets High to a deserved last start win if that's what's required to claim a second Listed $200,000 Inglis Australia Day Cup (2400m) for trainer Joe Pride.

Jockey Alysha Collett (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Three years ago Collett notched her first Australian stakes win on the Pride-trained Kaapfever in the corresponding race.

Bullets High won first-up this preparation at Warwick Farm then recorded four placings from five starts until Collett guided him home over 2100m at Wyong two weeks ago.

She said it was particularly pleasing to see how he relaxed on speed and then fought when he was challenged in the straight.

“We had the wide barrier and had work a little bit to get there but once he got there he got into a lovely rhythm,’’ Collett said.

“I liked the way he went through his paces, especially from the 200m when they got to him. He kept finding and giving me more.

“From that barrier, I’d imagine we would be positive. That’s something we might have learnt about him, sitting outside the leader might be the key for him.”

The four-year-old, $5 with TAB on Sunday, has only been to 2400m once and that was in the Queensland Derby last year where he didn’t appreciate the conditions and was beaten 20 lengths.

Based on his Wyong win, Collett said the gelding will have no trouble with that distance and feels he has further improvement in his race craft to come.

“I think 2400m is right up his alley, he races well at home, he has an ideal weight. He just has to be willing to do it,’’ she said.

“He’s giving everything he can, I think he’s a circumstances type of horse where he likes to go through his gears and likes to get into a good rhythm.

“He’s also his own worst enemy, he’s still learning his craft and especially when it comes to that last little bit of his races.”

Pride, who gave Collett a big rap for her ride on Kaapfever from 2022, agrees that they may have stumbled on an effective way to get the best out of Bullets High.

And he’s equally confident 2400m, on a track where he’s won three of his four starts, is well within reach.

“He’s done it twice now and he’s kicked back on horses when they’ve been about to beat him, at 2200m at Warwick Farm and 2100m the other day,’’ Pride said.

“There’s not a lot of speed in it so we’ll go forward and put him in the contest.”

Among his runners on his home track is a new recruit in Cosmic Lad, who lines up alongside Pride’s perennial placegetter The Replicant in the Ole Kirk First Yearlings Handicap (1400m).

Bullets High wins at Wyong on January 11

Cosmic Lad has won one from 11 but was thrown in a couple of Group 1 races as a three-year-old. He had his first trial for Pride on Monday and is getting a clean slate from the trainer.

“He seems like a nice horse, he went around in a Rosehill Guineas and Randwick Guineas,’’ he said.

“He’s only won one race, we’ll take him back to scratch and start him off and see how he goes.”

All the fields, form and replays for Monday's Warwick Farm meeting