Big spring ahead for Brightside

[Wandering Eyes]

All-Star Mile (1600m) and dual Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) winner Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) is back in work for what shapes as his longest racing campaign yet.

Co-trainer Ben Hayes said he was delighted with the condition of the winner of more than A$8 million in stakes, who is being prepared for a spring campaign that could begin as early as August 19 and end up on the world stage in mid-December.

“He’s going to have a long campaign and if he’s in form and winning, he might go to Hong Kong at the end,” said Hayes, who trains in partnership with his brother JD. “That would be the aim.”

The Lindsay Park stable figures Mr Brightside should be at the peak of his powers, with the rising six-year-old showing signs that a career-peak performance could still be in his future.

“He’s improved every prep and we’ve really looked after him as he’s lightly raced,” Hayes said of the 23-start veteran. “He’s got that maturity and he’s strengthened and hopefully he can improve again.

“It could be a different-looking spring with some of his main competition not there with Anamoe (Street Boss) to stud and the sad passing of I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking), so he’ll be in a good place if he keeps on getting better.

“He had a really nice break and put on some nice condition. As the weather gets colder, it’s best to have them in the yard and just keeping him happy and ticking him over.”

Hayes said the $1 million Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) is an early priority, but Mr Brightside might start off two weeks earlier on August 19 to defend his title in the Gr.2 Lawrence Stakes (1400m) over the same 1400-metre course.

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