A$5 million All-Star Mile contender Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) will resume in the Listed Elms Handicap (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday, where he will take on a strong field that includes 105 top-rater Elephant.
Mr Brightside caught the eye last Friday morning when working home for a close-up fourth in an 800-metre straight track trial against the world’s best sprinter Nature Strip.
The Kiwi import made a good impression in his first campaign for Lindsay Park, winning six of his eight starts after being purchased from Ralph Manning’s stable.
“I think the Elms Handicap will be a good kick-off point for him. There will be good improvement from his first-up run and we’re aware that last preparation he was narrowly beaten first-up,” Ben Hayes told racing.com.
“I think he’s a different horse this time around and he’s on track to hopefully get him to the All-Star Mile.”
A son of Bullbars, Mr Brightside is likely to go from the Elms Handicap to the Gr.1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) in a fortnight where he will be racing for a ballot-free run in the March 14 All-Star Mile at Flemington.
He was already sitting in a top-five position in the publicly voted order of entry for the lucrative race.
