New Zealand-bred gelding Mr Brightside will step back to a mile at Flemington on Saturday where trainers Ben and JD Hayes believe he is a strong chance of adding to his Group One tally.
The Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) winner will tackle the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m), sidestepping his Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) opponents in the Gr.1 Champions Stakes (2000m).
The son of Bullbars finished seventh in the Cox Plate to Anamoe, a result his trainers believe didn’t reflect his performance.
“Although his finishing position in the Cox Plate isn’t too flattering, he did run a very good race,” JD Hayes told RSN.
“We are very happy to bring him back to the mile and avoid I’m Thunderstruck and Anamoe at this stage. He is very good over the mile so we are hoping he can bounce back.
“We left the decision right down to acceptances whether we were going to go to the mile or the 2000m, just seeing where the opposition went.
“I think he is going to put himself right in the race if he begins well. In the Cox Plate, I think if he was a little closer he would have finished a lot closer too, just the way they went a slow tempo.”
While Saturday will bring up Mr Brightside’s sixth run this preparation, Hayes said he isn’t showing any signs of fatigue.
“We are very happy with the horse. He always improves into his preparation, and he is ready to run a very good race on Saturday,” he said.
“He looks as fit as a fiddle. We have just maintained him from the Cox Plate into this run. He is showing no signs that he is training off, only improving.”
