Winx or Memsie for Brightside?

[Wandering Eyes]

Could Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) begin his spring campaign a week earlier than expected in this Saturday’s Gr.1 Winx Stakes in Sydney?

While Mr Brightside was expected to kick off his upcoming preparation in the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on August 30, Lindsay Park’s flagbearer does feature in the nominations for the 1400m Group One contest coming up this weekend.

Randwick has been a happy hunting ground for Mr Brightside, as it’s where he’s won two Doncaster Miles and been placed in the 2023 King Charles Stakes and 2024 Queen Elizabeth Stakes from his four trips there.

“We’ve had a nomination in, but it’s probably going to be unlikely with the amount of rain that they have, and we think that the Memsie’s going to be soft to heavy,” explained JD Hayes, who trains the horse in partnership with his brothers Ben and Will.

“It’s probably unlikely at this stage but we thought we’d keep the heartbeat afloat and see what transpires in the next 24 to 36 hours to make a firm decision.

“The main thing is that the horse is really well.”

Should Mr Brightside contest the Gr.1 Winx Stakes this weekend, the Hayes brothers would have to book a new jockey for him, given that his regular rider Craig Williams will be representing Australia in the World All-Star Jockeys championship event in Japan held at Sapporo on Saturday and Sunday.

Sportsbet has Mr Brightside at $6 in their market for the Winx Stakes and at $5 for the Memsie Stakes the following Saturday.

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