Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Mr Brightside’s claim to the title of Australia’s best horse will go up a notch if he can extend his winning run to six in Saturday’s Group 1 $5m King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick.

Trainer JD Hayes (Pic: Bradley Photos)

Co-trainer JD Hayes, who trains with brothers Ben and Will, said the rise of Mr Brightside in the last 12 months or so has been the stuff of dreams and from what he’s seen there’s no reason why the gelding can’t win again.

But a win over a high class field under weight-for-age conditions over the Randwick mile is not something the Lindsay Park team is taking for granted, despite his place as a firm $2.20 favourite with TAB on Thursday.

“Everything is good when you’re winning so hopefully it continues,’’ Hayes said.

“The hardest thing about it is to be able to get them to consistently perform at that level to win that calibre of races.

“We’re probably not going to claim too much of that, he’s an incredible athlete and we just try to keep out of his way and keep him healthy and happy.

“He's taking on quality on Saturday and it’s amassed international challenges as well. It’s his hardest test to date but he’s up to the challenge.”

The field for the first running of the King Charles III, formerly the George Main Stakes, has attracted a phenomenal field who have won over $40 million in prizemoney between them.

Mr Brightside accounts for just under $10 million of that total thanks to two Doncaster Mile wins, an All Star Mile and his three wins this spring in the Lawrence, Memsie and Makybe Diva Stakes.

And it seems winning is a habit for Mr Brightside – whenever he’s won a race he’s strung several together. He won six in a row when he joined the stable, he notched a hat-trick in mid-2022 and has this current picket fence standing at five.

Hayes said in the month since his fourth Group 1 win the six-year-old has been kept happy at home, had a barrier trial and a final hitout on Monday before heading to Sydney.

“He’s really furnished and matured, he put on a lot of weight last autumn and really filled his frame out,’’ Hayes said.

“He seems to be a more polished athlete too, he makes less mistakes in his races.

"He's quite good away from the barriers now, he’s nailed it three from three this preparation, that always used to be a bit of a hiccup.

“He seems to be turning into the ultimate professional.”

One of Mr Brightside’s international rivals is the Joseph O’Brien-trained Buckaroo who has settled into Canterbury over the past couple of weeks ahead of his Group 1 goal.

The five-year-old has won three of his 12 starts and was a last start second in a Group 2 over a mile at Leopardstown in early September.

O’Brien’s foreman MJ Doran said he was pleased with Buckaroo’s work on Tuesday morning and feels he is sharp enough for the Randwick mile.

MR BRIGHTSIDE IS THE MILE KING! 👑

HE TAKES OUT THE 2023 MAKYBE DIVA STAKES.@lindsayparkrace @CWilliamsJockey pic.twitter.com/2QUfHyMeLI

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) September 16, 2023

“It was his first big piece off the plane, to open his lungs and see how he is, and I couldn’t be happier with him,’’ he said.

“All the things we were looking for he’s done so that’s a box ticked. Usually we bring over staying types so it will be interesting to see where the milers fit in.”

Buckaroo was $21 with TAB on Thursday, fellow import Light Infantry Man was $9.

There was less than half a length between them when they met in a Group 1 at Longchamps in May with Light Infantry Man running second and Buckaroo fourth.

All the fields, form and replays for TAB Everest Day at Randwick on Saturday