Mr Brightside Bypasses Sandown For Benalla Trials

Mr. Brightside set to trial at Benalla

Mr Brightside had been scheduled to take part in a gallop during the Group Three Sandown Stakes meeting on Sunday before the Lindsay Park team decided to abandon that plan in favour of a trip to Benalla.

The trip to Benalla has been meticulously planned with co-trainer Will Hughes travelling to the Victorian Provincial race track to inspect facilities last Friday.

Trainer Ben Hayes confirmed time had play a factor for the decision with a 40 minute trip to Benalla being preferred to a 5 hour round trip to the city from there Euroa base.

"We spoke to the track manager and they're going to put some water on the track and I think a jump out over 1000m will keep his fitness up to the mark and get more benefit than working today," Hayes said at Sandown.

"We had a big chat with JD and Will and we're very happy with the move ... we thought it was better for him.

"We had a good process, Will went out with our penetrometer to make sure the track isn't too firm, today's track looks like it's going to firm right up."

Benalla hosted its country cup meeting on Friday at what was only the second event held at the course since last April with track renovations taking place in betwee.

"The track manager is a legend, he's going to put some water on and the track should hopefully be Good 4/Soft 5, it will be a good surface for him," Hayes said.

Mr. Brightside is currently $2.50 favourite to win the Group One King Charles III Stakes at Randwick on October 14th and will head to that even having won his last three starts including the Group One Makybe Diva Stakes most recently. 

"You get a lot of confidence when you see the form out of his races come out and perform well, (Underwood Stakes winner) Alligator Blood," Hayes said.

"He's come on again in the coat, I think he'll really be peaking ... the Cox Plate has always been the grand final (but) he's fourth up now, he's ready to run a peak race and Cox Plate hopefully he can peak again."

Talking on his recent trips to Sydney Hayes cited the strong performances that have seen Mr Brightside win back to back Doncaster Miles. 

"We're going to do what we've always done for the Doncasters, he'll do his final piece of work (next) Monday at the farm and then be on a float that night," Hayes said.

"Travel down, have an easy day and then do some 14s (second 200m sectionals) on the Thursday and that has him spot on for Saturday.

"It's a recipe that's worked so hopefully it can work again, third time's a charm."

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