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If any horse in Saturday’s Group 2 $2m The Ingham (1600m) is due a change of fortune jockey Regan Bayliss would argue it’s Brutality.

And if that happens he's confident he the six-year-old can become the first horse to claim back-to-back wins in the summer feature mile, formerly known as the Villiers Stakes.

Brutality has had 13 starts without success since he won the 2021 edition but he's been consistently catching the eye with flashing finishes from impossible positions, often in unsuitable races, most recently at Rosehill last weekend where he lumped 64.5kg into fifth in a 1400m Benchmark 88.

After turning last, the gelding clocked 33.05 for his last 600m (Punter's Intelligence) and that showed Regan Bayliss he's on target.

"With that big weight he still managed to power through the line,'' he said.

"It was a very similar run to before he won the Villiers last year, if not a little bit better.

"We drew the widest barrier and it would have been nice to land a little bit closer but they went so quick in that race and he was just off the bridle the whole way.

"I'm happy with where he's drawn, just outside the middle, hopefully I can get a similar sort of run to last year and not have to give them too much start."

A year ago he ran third in the corresponding Benchmark race with 60.5kg before winning the Villiers with 53kg. He rises 1kg on that win this year.

Trainer Joe Pride had been aiming Brutality, $8 with TAB on Thursday, at last month's The Gong over the Kembla mile and he ran a creditable fifth behind Riodini.

But Bayliss said there were plenty of excuses for him that day and it showed that 1600m is his pet distance.

"There's been one race he could win all prep so far and that was The Gong at his most suitable trip,'' he said.

"He was the first one in the barriers, stood in there a long time then they backed him out again for a delay then they put him back in.

"He just fell asleep on me so he missed the start. The track was playing funny but he still rounded off well.

"That was the race we thought he could win but this race on Saturday is another target and he is cherry ripe.

"He's a typical Joe Pride horse, the older they get they start to raise the bar and keep improving each preparation."

Bayliss has developed a handy relationship with the Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou-trained mare Sky Command and is quietly confident it can continue in the Listed $160,000 Racing & Sports Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m).

They kicked off with a Group 3 win in The Nivison (1200m) two months ago and the mare has since run third over 1100m in the Choisir and a closing second in her last start behind Zethus in Listed Starlight Stakes.

"She didn't quicken off the mark but started to go through her gears and her best work was on the line,'' Bayliss said.

"We were all under the impression that six furlongs will suit her. I just think back up to 1200m and back at Randwick will suit her much better.

"She's been taking a while to get through her gears then hitting the line late. Drawn soft she's going to be there in the finish again."