Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) might be coming off the worst performance of his decorated career, but Ben Hayes is adamant the Lindsay Park flagbearer can again be a Spring Carnival force.
The eight-year-old gelding made his first public appearance of the campaign on Monday morning when he took part in a course-proper jump-out at Flemington.
The 800m workout, in which he finished fourth, was a stepping stone to a first-up run in the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m), where Hayes expects him to return to the form that carried him to a win in that event in 2023 and a second placing last year.
“He’s been his usual self to be honest and his build up has been very normal,” Hayes said.
“He’s probably got a slightly better coat to this time last year, just having been overseas and in a warmer climate.
“I’m not worried about him one bit. He’s done well, he’s eating, he’s sound and he looks fantastic, so we think he’s right on track.”
Mr Brightside was allowed to casually work through his gears in Monday’s workout, in which he finished around four lengths from winner and stablemate Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto), who was given a more searching gallop.
Mr Brightside has not started since finishing last in the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) in Hong Kong on April 27.
He filled a quinella slot at 20 of his previous 23 starts, with the misses being a third placing in last year’s Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), a Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) fourth placing and an Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m) fifth.
Hayes said freshness played a part in his poor last-start effort, but knows Hong Kong does not agree with all horses and looked to dominant Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) winner Antino (NZ) (Redwood) and Gr.1 Queen Anne Stakes (1609m) victor Docklands (Massaat) as recent examples of horses to rebound back in their homeland.
Antino and Docklands finished 11th and 12th respectively in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) last December.
“We took a fresh approach going into the run and he unfortunately didn’t perform,” Hayes, who trains in partnership with brothers Will and JD, said.
“But, you look at a horse like Docklands, who ran (near) last in Hong Kong and came out and won at Ascot and Antino also ran near last in Hong Kong and he came out and he’s won a Group One.”
Mr Brightside will be back at the Flemington jump-outs on August 15 with the Memsie Stakes to be run at Caulfield on Saturday, August 30.
