Trainers Ben and JD Hayes remain upbeat about the chances of Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) heading into the business end of spring racing.
The Bullbars five-year-old finished fifth of six runners in the Gr.1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) last start but that hasn’t deterred the Lindsay Park team.
The New Zealand-bred gelding had being in winning form prior to that run, taking out the Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) earlier this year before winning his first two outings this preparation, including the Gr.2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) and Gr.3 Feehan Stakes (1600m).
Ben Hayes believes his opposition last start were a bit more race-hardened and he is expecting an improved result in the Gr.1 Might And Power (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday from his gelding.
“I think, reflecting on it, Craig (Williams) rode him to win, which is absolutely fine – he went early and made a big run on him – but he didn’t peak on his run,” Hayes said.
“A couple of others were just a bit more hardened and fit and have run at weight-for-age for a long time.
“That was his first time against the best and he had a bit of a reality check, but he’s come through it well.
“I still think he ran out the race perfectly fine and we’ve got to have a go at 2000 (metres) and keep the dream alive.”
The Kiwi import was originally trained by Ralph Manning in Cambridge, for whom he ran a luckless fifth in his sole New Zealand start at Matamata before being sold privately to clients of the Hayes stable via Australian agent Wayne Ormond.
Manning and good friends Shaun Dromgool and Ray Johnson purchased Mr Brightside as an unraced two-year-old off gavelhouse.com for just $7,750, with some insight into the youngster.
Johnson, with his late wife Martha, had bred and sold the son of Bullbars as a yearling at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock May Sale for $22,000 via Janine Dunlop’s Phoenix Park before he had failed to meet his $50,000 reserve when re-offered at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale.
Later an opportunity arose to buy him back off gavelhouse.com and despite being aware the horse had a few tricks, Johnson jumped at the opportunity to buy back in.
