Mr Brightside is much closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but Ben Hayes sees no reason why the Lindsay Park star cannot claim another Champions Mile at Flemington this Saturday.
The eight-year-old heads to the $3 million feature off a gutsy second placing in the King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 18, which has him primed for back-to-back Champions Mile wins.
It is a return to the scene of his third-straight Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) triumph on September 13, which followed a second placing in the Memsie Stakes (1400m), and Hayes said the stable favourite might be going as well as ever.
“I think, arguably, you could say he is,” Hayes, who trains alongside Will and JD, said.
“He’s come back and his three runs to date have been fantastic and he’s showing no signs of training off.
“He’s an eight-year-old that every trainer would love. He’s won 10 Group 1s, he’s placed in 10 and he’s also won an All Star Mile, so he’s a very special horse to Lindsay Park.”
Mr Brightside’s connection with the Champions Mile dates back to when it was run as the Cantala Stakes on Derby Day.
He finished fourth in 2021, then placed behind Alligator Blood and Tuvalu in the inaugural Champions Day edition in 2022, before defeating star milers including Antino, Fangirl and Stefi Magnetica to win the race in 2023.
The gelding has raced 24 times at the 1600m trip for 13 wins, six seconds and a third, with his only recent miss coming in Hong Kong’s Champions Mile last April.
He and Craig Williams have drawn the second-widest barrier in Saturday’s 10-horse field, which includes recent conqueror Ceolwulf, Empire Rose Stakes heroine Pride Of Jenni, Cox Plate placegetter Treasurethe Moment, and Doncaster Mile winner Stefi Magnetica.
“It’s a hard race to win and he’s got some pretty stiff competition as well,” Hayes said.
“There are horses there that have beaten him before and he’s beaten them, so it’s going to be a really interesting race.
“He’s good enough, I know that. He’s a special horse for us and we believe in him.”
