MR BRIGHTSIDE 'BRIGHT AND ALERT' AND READY TO TACKLE HIS FIRST INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE

By Darren Winningham and Graham Potter | Monday, April 21, 2025

The Hayes “boys”, Ben, Will and JD will be looking to win the HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) with Mr Brightside at Sha Tin on Sunday in what will be the seven-year-old gelding’s first overseas assignment.

The Hayes team will also be looking to win their first northern hemisphere race after successfully taking Here To Shock to New Zealand to win the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa in February.

Can Lindsay Park Racing keep up their 100% overseas strike rate?

I caught up with Ben Hayes at trackwork on Monday at Sha Tin after Mr Brightside seemed to relish his work on the all-weather track and cantered impressively to the eye.

“He (Mr Brightside) worked very good,” said Hayes. “He just had an easy canter this morning on the dirt. Did everything right … it was lovely and relaxed. He is really fantastic, and we couldn't be happier with the way he has travelled. He has just settled in well.

“We were very happy with his work on Friday as well. He was bright and alert and he wanted to go faster, so that is a good sign. We are looking forward to seeing how he gallops tomorrow”

Hayes explained that this race has always been in mind for the gelding,

“It was always in the back of my mind, and we just thought this was the right time to come, coming out of the back of our summer. He is healthy and, with the Sydney Carnival over a mile there were not too many options for him, so to have this option is just fantastic.”

When pressed about the riding tactics come Sunday with regular jockey Craig Williams in the saddle. Hayes responded:

“With this preparation he has hit the front at the 400 every race the prep and he has been a sitting duck. We are hoping he can draw a barrier where we can ride him a little bit quieter, and we are the ones hitting the line … but we’ll wait to see how we draw. We’ll make those plans on Thursday.

“It would be an amazing day if Mr Brightside could win the Group 1 Mile. It is every trainer’s dream to win a big race overseas and we have a great chance. We think we have a horse who can do it.

“It is exciting, and we just got to enjoy it and soak it in. You don’t often get these opportunities.”

Throughout the interview Ben Hayes was absolutely relaxed, a demeanour which emphasised the air of confidence the stable he in Mr Brightside, along with his co-trainers Will and JD who are scheduled to fly in Sunday to be present at the Sha Tin track on Sunday to watch Mr Brightside compete in a big Group 1 feature race..

And why wouldn’t they be confident?

Mr Brightside boasts a career record to date of nineteen wins (including nine Group 1 victories) and fourteen places from forty-three starts with over $17 million banked in prize-money.

Those are as good a set of credentials as you are likely to find anywhere.

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