Mr Brightside looking for redemption in Champions Mile

A drop back in distance is now on the cards for Mr Brightside after his seventh placed run in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley last weekend.

Trainers Ben and JD Hayes have been pleased with the way he has come through the race but feel a mile is his pet distance moving forward.

“He has pulled up well, we are very happy with the way he has pulled up,” Ben Hayes told SEN’s Giddyup.

“We just want to see how he is over the next week, but at this stage I think we will be dropping back to the mile.

“I think he is good at 2000m, but just not against the best.”

The Lindsay Park team are now eyeing the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington on November 5 with the son of Bullbars, a race he finished fourth in last year.

“He ran fourth in it, beaten by an inch, last year, so it would be good to get a bit of redemption. The race has changed a bit, it is now weight-for-age,” Hayes said.

“He has shown he is up to that class. I think over a mile he has got that better turn of foot.”

Mr Brightside has won nine of his 18 starts, including the Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m), Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m), Gr.2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m), and Listed Seymour Cup (1600m).

Early end to trials

Tuesday’s trial meeting at Avondale was called off after just one heat with underfoot conditions deemed unsuitable to continue.

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike was among those affected with all nine of his stable representatives returning home without a run.

“They let it get too firm, it was a Good 2 yesterday morning so they aerated it and put 2mls of water on and it got a bit shifty on top,” he said.

A son of Zacinto trained by Danny Walker and Aaron Tata won the only heat to be run, a two-year-old catchweight trial over 600m.