Search

show me:

Williams has confidence in Brightside

3 minute read

Mr Brightside is now a fully mature racehorse accordong to his jockey Craig Williams.

Mr Brightside.
Mr Brightside. Picture: Racing Photos

While Black Caviar was winning races from her two-year-old year through to retirement as a six-year-old, her trainer Peter Moody said she did not reach full maturity until her later racing years. 

Mr Brightside is no Black Caviar, but he is about to embark on an autumn campaign in the Group 1 C F Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday as a fully mature six-year-old. 

The Ben, Will and J D Hayes-trained gelding has graduated from a Group 1 handicap winner to being a multiple Group 1 weight-for-age performer to running second, by the barest margin, in Australia's greatest race, the Cox Plate. 

Jockey Craig Williams has been aboard Mr Brightside in 25 of the gelding's 29 starts and has seen him develop and mature along the journey. 

That association began with a maiden win at Geelong through to a number of his major victories, although Williams did miss out on Mr Brightside's win in the All-Star Mile and a second win in The Doncaster when sidelined through injury. 

Mr Brightside will on Saturday line up for his first start since running second to Pride Of Jenni in the Group 1 Champions Mile at Flemington last November. 

Williams rode Mr Brightside in a jump-out at Flemington last Friday and was happy with the gelding's performance and believes the six-year-old can rise to another level. 

"We joked about that at Flemington before his run in the Champions Mile and said, because he's always improved, it's going to be scary for his opposition if he does come back and keep improving," Williams said. 

"When you see him he just looks more mature in regards to being hardened. 

"He hasn't got an bigger, or any taller, he looks fantastic. He hasn't got surplus weight, he's not fat, he just looks more rounded, more seasoned, his muscle definition is a lot firmer. 

"He looks the horse that he is on his form guide." 

Williams said the biggest transformation from Mr Brightside's four and five-year-old years is that when he turns up for a Group 1 contest, he is ready for a fight. 

That fight has arguably set Mr Brightside as Australia's best miler at present. 

"It took an international horse to beat him a small margin in the Cox Plate, so he's arguably the best miler to 10 furlong (2000m) horse we have in Australia right now," Williams said. 

"He will improve I feel with the run but he's going well enough that he can definitely win on Saturday, and I'm looking forward to riding him." 


Racing and Sports

Caulfield

Saturday, 10th February 2024

9
16:55
(local)

Sportsbet C.F. Orr Stakes (G1)

Age: 3yo and up Type: OPEN
AUD $752,000
1400m TURF GOOD
9
16:55
(local)
AUD $752,000
1400m GOOD

Sportsbet C.F. Orr Stakes (G1)

Age: 3yo and up Type: OPEN


FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 1. MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ) 6yo G
BULLBARS (AUS) - LILAHJAY (NZ)
CRAIG WILLIAMS
BEN, WILL & JD HAYES
$1.95
59kg
Lindsay Park Bloodstock (Mgr: Mrs S Steel), Green Shorts Racing (A Visalli), K Paisley, Mrs C Paisley, B Carson, M Andreadis, J Molinaro, Ms A Molinaro, Ms J Evans, D Hollyman, S Horn, R Jarvis, G Kerr, D Lee, R White, D Cavallo, The Fighting Cowboys (A Pettiona), P Presti, L Presti & T Hunter

Sales Information

2nd 8. PRIDE OF JENNI (AUS) 6yo M
PRIDE OF DUBAI (AUS) - SANCERRE (NZ)
DECLAN BATES
CIARON MAHER
$9
57kg
A Ottobre, Mrs L Ottobre & M Ottobre

Sales Information

3rd 5. BUFFALO RIVER (USA) 8yo G
NOBLE MISSION (GB) - FASHION INSIDER (USA)
CELINE GAUDRAY
MICHAEL MORONEY
$61
59kg
Ballymore Stables (Aust) P/L, R&C Legh Racing P/L, Gee Gee Equine Ltd, Ms A Bergin, Dr A & B Pang, Halo Racing Services P/L (Mgr: C McKenna), Dr C & S Cowan, Mrs R & F Cain, Top Tier Racing, GJDM Racing Syndicate, Vermont Racing Club 2, M King, Gurners Bloodstock, D & Mrs S Kenle, Ms S Ng & Ms X Wu

Sales Information

4th 9. VEIGHT (AUS) 3yo C
GRUNT (NZ) - NEENA ROCK (AUS)
DAMIAN LANE
T & C MCEVOY
$6
55.5kg

Sales Information

5th 6. AYRTON (NZ) 6yo G
IFFRAAJ (GB) - ODESSA (NZ)
JAMIE KAH
MICK PRICE & MICHAEL KENT JNR
$19
59kg

Sales Information

6th 2. PERICLES (AUS) 4yo G
STREET BOSS (USA) - ACCESSORIES (GB)
MARK ZAHRA
JAMES CUMMINGS
$6.5
59kg
7th 3. MUNHAMEK (GB) 8yo G
DARK ANGEL (IRE) - CADENZA (FR)
BLAKE SHINN
NICK RYAN
$21
59kg

Sales Information

8th 7. ATISHU (NZ) 6yo M
SAVABEEL (AUS) - POSY (NZ)
MICHAEL DEE
CHRIS WALLER
$12
57kg

Sales Information

9th 4. BUSTLER (AUS) 4yo G
PLAYING GOD (AUS) - COSMAH DOMINATION (AUS)
STEVEN PARNHAM
NEVILLE PARNHAM
$26
59kg

Sales Information

What’s gambling really costing you?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au