G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) contender Mr Brightside will adopt a change of tactics when the Australian visitor takes on the world’s best in Sunday’s (27 April) HK$24 million feature at Sha Tin.
Ben Hayes, who trains in partnership with his brothers Will and JD, is hoping a favourable barrier draw will allow jockey Craig Williams to give the seven-year-old gelding a softer run in the 1600m feature.
In Mr Brightside’s three runs this campaign – twice at 1400m and his most recent when second in G1 The All-Star Mile (1600m) on 8 March at Flemington – he has raced close to the speed.
“In this preparation our horse has had to lead and has hit the front at the 400m every race this prep,” Hayes said. “And he has been a bit of a sitting duck.
“And we are hoping with Hong Kong, they tend to go a bit harder earlier and through his whole career he has always taken sits and we are hoping this time we can draw a barrier where we can look to ride him a little bit quieter and we’ll be the last one hitting the line.
“I think the horse is in as good a form as he can be.
“We just need a bit of racing luck and if we draw the right barrier and I know this track is a very good draining track but a little bit of give in the track would be very good for us. Give is very important to us.”
Mr Brightside has won on all track conditions.
Hayes said Mr Brightside had done everything right since arriving in Hong Kong last week and completed a leisurely canter around the Sha Tin’s dirt on Monday morning. He said the gelding had a great temperament was not phased by the flight over or his new surroundings.
“We couldn’t be happier with the way he has arrived and we look forward to seeing him gallop tomorrow,” Hayes said. “He is moving well and has got a great coat on him and he looks fantastic. We are as happy as we can be.”
Ben Hayes oversees Mr Brightside’s work at Sha Tin. Picture: HKJC
Hayes said Mr Brightside weighed 1,146lb when he left Victoria and lost about 26-28lb on the flight over but had already regained the weight.
He said there would be no problem handling the right-handed track as he won races in Sydney in that direction.
“He has been very competitive every time he has been on his Sydney leg,” Hayes said. “If anything, he is probably better on his Sydney leg.”
Hayes said they had plenty of respect for the opposition, including local hero Voyage Bubble, and fellow Australian raider Royal Patronage, who is trained by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott.
With nine Group 1 victories, Hayes said Mr Brightside was a horse that never lets them down and he is predicting a top-three finish in the 1600m race.
“He is always in the finish and we think he is a top winning, top-three chance,” he said. “Just talking to my brothers and the team, we just thought it was the right time to come. He is now seven and he has done nearly everything he can do in Australia.”
Hayes said the trip was also special because their father David Hayes, back in Hong Kong for his second training stint, has Ka Ying Rising as the favourite in the HK$22 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m).
David Hayes will also saddle Rubylot in the HK$28 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m).