Photo: Bruno Cannatelli
Champion galloper Mr Brightside (Bullbars) notched his ninth Group One victory when winning the Gr.1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday for trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes under a positive Craig Williams ride.
The son of Bullbars displayed all his fighting qualities as he made it back-to-back Futurity Stakes, defying his widest draw and a strong head-wind as he raced outside the leader Private Life, with that rival trailing the field home.
Mr Brightside scored by the barest of margins as Tom Kitten swooped late, while I Wish I Win turned in a strong performance for third fresh-up.
“To see him win like that and just get in, it's not good for the heart, but we’re so proud of him,” Ben Hayes said.
“It's a long week but we're just so passionate about this guy and we know he's good enough and he's shown it here and he's the most important horse that we've ever been involved with.
“For him to continue and keep winning - that's his ninth Group One victory - and he's also won an All-Star Mile and that's a Group One now so you could technically say 10.”
Mr Brightside has now surpassed Better Loosen Up as the most successful Group One winner produced by Lindsay Park and is nearing on A$17 million in prizemoney.
That tally can be added to as he heads to the A$2.5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington on March 8.
“He'll improve a lot from today and all he needs is a nice barrier,” Hayes said.
“He's due one, he's drawn wide both runs this prep. If he gets a soft run where he doesn't have to roll forward and lead, he's a much better chaser and he’ll be right in it.”
The Gr.1 Hong Kong Champions Mile (1600m) on April 27 is also a longer range target for the venerable seven-year-old.
Mr Brightside was bred by Ray Johnson in partnership with his late wife Martha. He was sold as a yearling for $22,000 via Janine Dunlop’s Phoenix Park at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock May Sale, where he was bought by Phill Cataldo. He then failed to meet his $50,000 reserve when re-offered at the Ready to Run Sale.
An opportunity later arose for Johnson to buy him back on gavelhouse.com for just $7,750, in conjunction with Cambridge trainer Ralph Manning and good friend Shaun Dromgool.
Mr Brightside finished a luckless fifth in his sole New Zealand start at Matamata for Manning, having previously won a trial. He was subsequently sold privately to clients of the Hayes stable via Australian agent Wayne Ormond.
