Mr Brightside pushes prize-money over $14 million barrier
The evergreen Mr Brightside (Bullbars) enhanced his already glittering CV on Saturday when securing back-to-back wins in Flemington’s Makybe Diva Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m), which saw his career earnings rise to an incredible $14,067,890.
Trained by brothers Ben, Will, and JD Hayes, the now seven-year-old gelding made sure he has never gone more than four races without securing a victory as he fended off seven rivals in the weekend’s sole Group 1 contest.
Ridden by Craig Williams, the son of Bullbars (Elusive Quality), who had defeated Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) by one and a half lengths in the 2023 renewal, ran down long-time leader Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) inside the final 100 metres, crossing the line 0.5 lengths ahead of the Ciaron Maher-trained mare.
There was a longing 4.2-length gap back to the third-placed Antino (Redwood), in what was Mr Brightside’s seventh career Group 1 victory.
“That was thrilling. What a spectacle,” JD Hayes said. “Pride Of Jenni was so brave out in front as she is, and our bloke had to knuckle down to the task. He’s a model of consistency and we’re so glad to have him.
“He’s unbelievable. He truly is unique. We don’t take it lightly to have a horse like him in the stable. To come back now as an older horse and perform like that is huge. He’s like a fine wine.”
Absolutely incredible! Congratulations to the owners of this once in a generation horse 🤩 How special he is ⭐️ https://t.co/QGwjWMxUWJ
— Lindsay Park Racing (@lindsayparkrace) September 14, 2024
JD’s brother Ben also spoke of the tenacity Mr Brightside has shown on timeless occasions, and how he felt the gelding had improved from his first-up second in the Memsie Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), where he was beaten 0.4 lengths by Pinstriped (Street Boss), who could only manage seventh on Saturday.
“He’s such a special horse. He’s amazing,” Ben Hayes said. “I’ve said it a million times, but he just keeps performing and never lets us down. And it’s so important. He’s definitely the most consistent horse in Australia.
“He’s got this habit now of sucking his tongue back, and we just feel sometimes he gets his tongue over. And we don’t want that to happen in a race.
“So we played around with the tongue tie, and we felt that just annoyed him more.
“Still got his tongue out, where today we just put the tongue control bit on. And it’s just enough to stop him getting his tongue back, and we can relax as trainers.”
Craig Williams, who was securing an incredible fifth career win in the Makybe Diva Stakes, was emphatic in his praise for Mr Brightside.
“He’s a sensational horse. The Hayes’ have done a great job,” Williams said. “Will who straps the horse told me he’s in great order.
“I was very bullish about his chances today. The way he felt, the way he pulled up. It was a harder slow today but he’s got that tenacity to win. He’s an amazing racehorse.”
Although champion mare Pride Of Jenni was narrowly beaten, her owner Tony Ottobre and Maher are looking forward to the rest of the spring after her brave effort to finish second on Saturday.
“Obviously you’d like to win but she can go anywhere now and be very competitive. It’s looking like 2000m is going to be her sweet spot,” Maher told Racing.com.
He said the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) was her main aim and that it was still likely they will go to the King Charles III Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) as her lead-in run.
Ottobre added: “I really think Mr Brightside is a champion. We’re getting there and that’s another run under her belt. She’s got a target race.”
Chris Waller and James McDonald were left scratching their heads after last-start Winx Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) could only manage fifth, finishing 6.5 lengths adrift of the winner.
Vin Cox, the managing director of Yulong Investments, said while the effort of Via Sistina was a little disappointing, he felt there were some reasons behind her performance.
“She was a big flat and maybe she didn’t really handle the range of conditions today,” Cox told Racing.com. “It was a bit puggy probably. J Mac [James McDonald] said she pulled up terrific and worked to the line strongly.”
Meanwhile, Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Warmonger’s (War Decree), his first-up fourth placing put a wide smile on his co-trainer Mick Price and that of co-owner, OTI Racing’s Terry Henderson.
“He’s not a mile horse in good company but the wet track helped him and he closed off good and I think expectations were met,” Price told Racing.com
“Three weeks to the Turnbull and two weeks to the Caulfield Cup, and if it does rain it helps.
“We use these races as a measure of where we are with our horses and so, perfect.”
Bred by Ray Johnson in partnership with his late wife Martha, Mr Brightside (7 g Bullbars – Lilahjay by Tavistock) was purchased by Phill Cataldo Bloodstock for just NZ$22,000 at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock May Sale, before then failing to meet his NZ$50,000 reserve when re-offered at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale that same year.
Johnson repurchased the now $14 million winner online for just $7,750 in conjunction with Cambridge trainer Ralph Manning and Shaun Dromgool, before being sold privately to clients of the Hayes stable in a deal brokered by Australian agent Wayne Ormond.