Mr Brightside (NZ) Back in the Spotlight with Winning Return

One of eight Karaka graduates to win at Group One level in Australia last season, the brilliant Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) picked up right where he left off with an outstanding first-up victory in Saturday’s A$300,000 Group Two P. B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

Bought for just $22,000 from the 2019 Karaka May Sale, Mr Brightside has now won eight of his 14 starts for total earnings of over A$2.65m – more than 130 times his purchase price.

Last season was a breakout year for Mr Brightside, who is trained by Ben and JD Hayes. Beginning the 2021-22 season as a one-race winner from three career starts, the gelding proceeded to win six of his next 10, culminating in Sydney’s famous Group One Doncaster (1600m) in April. He finished third or fourth in all of his four defeats, including the Group One Cantala Stakes (1600m) and the A$5m All-Star Mile (1600m).

The P. B. Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday was Mr Brightside’s first appearance since his Doncaster triumph, and he returned to racing in impressive style.

Ridden by his regular partner Craig Williams, the five-year-old settled into a comfortable rhythm in third or fourth place before angling to the outside at the home turn and being asked to go through his gears.

Mr Brightside accelerated stylishly in the straight, reeling in the front-running Buffalo River (Noble Mission) before holding out a late challenge from I Am Superman (Footstepsinthesand).

“He won a handicap at the top level, but weight-for-age is a completely different scenario,” Williams said. “Even today, it’s not the deepest end of what he’s going to be competing against later, but you just see that maturity and that improvement.

“He's going to be improved from that race and we were really happy with the horse's maturity. I Am Superman upset him in the gates by kicking out, but he's a much better and mentally stronger horse this prep than when we saw him last time.”

Mr Brightside’s time of 1:22.67 was the second-fastest recorded in the P. B. Lawrence Stakes, beaten only by the 1:22.19 of Apache Cat (Lion Cavern) in 2007.

The Hayes brothers will now point Mr Brightside towards the Group One Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 3.

“This horse is super special and has put us on the map,” Ben Hayes said. “Full credit to him and a beautiful ride by Craig.

“Boy, he was tough. He knuckled down and hit the line hard. He was in for the fight, and that is exciting going forward because he wasn’t wound up today. This was the first time he has won for us first-up.

“I would love to get him out to 2000 metres this prep. I think we will stick to our guns and go next to the Feehan at the Valley. That might give us an idea of where we go after that.”

The P.B. Lawrence Stakes traditionally gives Melbourne its first taste of the high-class spring racing that follows through September, October and November, and Karaka graduates have now recorded back-to-back victories in the prestigious weight-for-age feature. Last year’s edition of the race was won by top mare Sierra Sue (NZ) (Darci Brahma).

Sierra Sue also sits alongside Mr Brightside on the Group One-winning list of Karaka graduates in Australia last season, capturing both the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and the Futurity Stakes (1400m). The others were:

• Gypsy Goddess (NZ) (Tarzino): Queensland Oaks (2200m)
• Jungle Magnate (NZ) (Tarzino): South Australian Derby (2500m)
• Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel): Winx Stakes (1400m)
• Pinarello (NZ) (Tavistock): Queensland Derby (2400m)
• Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel): Might And Power Stakes (2000m)
• Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto): Newmarket Handicap (1200m).

Vendor	Phoenix Park
Purchaser	Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (Waikato)
Breeding	Bullbars – Lilahjay
Sale	Lot 159, 2019 Karaka May Sale, $22,000 Lot 39, 2019 Ready to Run Sale, Psd (Res $50,000)
Bred by	R I & Est Late M A G Johnson