Joe Pride-trained Denise’s Joy Stakes winner to target more black-type.

Joe Pride has said that the June Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Randwick on June 12 is the next target for three-year-old Ballistic Lover (Smart Missile) following her good victory in the Denise's Joy Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Rosehill last Saturday. 

Bought for $80,000 by Tricolours Racing and Syndications from the Newgate Farm draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Ballistic Lover has now won five of her 11 career starts and Saturday's victory was her first at stakes level. 

Pride said he was confident heading into the Denise's Joy Stakes but believes the best is yet to come from the daughter of Smart Missile (Fastnet Rock). 

"I was pretty confident going into Saturday, the barrier certainly scared me, but I thought if she got across and got in the mix, she would be hard to beat," he said.

"I did think she was as good as any of those other fillies in the race and the handicapper was obviously of that opinion as well being the top weight.

"It was nice to see her go to that level and I'm sure it's not her best yet, but that'll come with a bit more maturity."

Ballistic Lover is now two-for-two this campaign, winning first-up from a spell at Doomben in April. 

"There's not a lot on for her. I thought only the June Stakes was really the only assignment," he said.

"In Brisbane the only race was three weeks away, that was the Lightning, but I would probably just wait the extra week and keep her here at Randwick.

"After that I was going to go to the Toy Show Quality on the fresh side in August, that'll give me a good chance to freshen her up. She'll probably have a week or so in the paddock and then target there.

"A good thing about a horse like this is you can have them in work most of the year because they're not doing much racing."