Lindsay Park pair shoot for Group 1 glory

Lindsay Park trainers Ben and J D Hayes are looking forward to the Festival Of Racing with two of their stable stars Mr Brightside and Gentleman Roy.

The pair meet in the first Group 1 race of the autumn, the CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Sandown on Saturday with the $5 million All-Star Mile at Moonee Valley their long-term aim.

Mr Brightside is a year younger than Gentleman Roy and to date has been the more progressive of the pair providing the Hayes brothers their first Group 1 win, The Doncaster, in Sydney last year.

As Gentleman Roy started on a winning sequence, the Hayes brothers often quipped how the six-year-old was of a similar mould to the year younger Mr Brightside.

Mr Brightside raced in the best of company last spring, finishing fourth to Anamoe in the Might And Power at Caulfield and third to Alligator Blood in the Champions Mile at Flemington.

Both Ben and J D Hayes are adamant Mr Brightside has taken the step required to be a weight-for-age contender during the autumn.

“He’s more of a seasoned campaigner now,” J D Hayes said.

“He’s had a few more pre-seasons under the belt and he’s going the right way, which he needs to if he wants to mix it with them at weight-for-age level.”

As part of Mr Brightside’s build up for his racing return, he was taken on a ‘roadtrip’ to Geelong where he won a trial on January 31.

Hayes said he can see the improvement Mr Brightside had gained from the trip.

“It was a nice experience for him. It got him out of his box for a bit longer,” Hayes said.

“He’s a very relaxed dude but he turns it on for race day which is nice to know that you can trust him, because he is such a genuine horse.

“I thought his turn of foot at Geelong was good and he showed us he’s ready to go and I think he’s improved from last prep.”

Hayes said the Group 3 T S Carlyon Cup (1600m) was considered for Gentleman Roy but the stable thought the 1400m was a better option after his first-up win on January 28.

He said Gentleman Roy had come out of that win very well and with the run under the belt, Hayes thought he was well placed in the Orr Stakes.

“He’ll be mixing it with the big boys, and we’ll get a real gauge on where he sits,” Hayes said.

“But I think he’s deserving of the opportunity.

“Both he and Mr Brightside, they’re the calibre of horse you love to train.

“They love their job. They go home, they eat up, they’re professional athletes.”