Hong Kong will be Mr Brightside’s next start

Mr Brightside has been a popular horse to take on the horse racing bookmakers with for a long time. He heads away from Australia for the first time for a huge target in Hong Kong for a race worth almost $5 million in total prize money.

t is always a good thing to have ambition. The Hayes boys have sent Mr Brightside to Hong Kong to take on a powerful field in the Champions Mile, a bold move for the stable. It is only the second time that he has been on a plane, the first when coming over from New Zealand after one race. He is said to have taken the travel well and will be straight into trackwork.

Champions Mile up next for Mr Brightside

Consistency is the key when it comes to Mr Brightside. It was only the Cox Plate (where he finished in fourth) that saw him out of the first three past the line in his last 10 races. 2000m is not his perfect trip but a speedy 1600m around Sha Tin could be just the ticket.

The ground tends to be on top in Hong Kong which is fine for him and it is not the strongest field that has ever been assembled for the race. He had a bruised heel which kept him out of the George Ryder recently which has him arriving without as recent a prep race as perhaps connections would like. That is only a small concern, however.

Could a 10th Group 1 win come for the Hayes runner?

Looking at the prices, Mr Brightside is the second favourite so on paper at least, there is a strong chance of him adding a 10th Group 1. He has a hair under $17.4 million in prize money so far in his remarkable career, a true flag bearer for his stable.

The one at the top of the market is Voyage Bubble. He is the top local hope, having won his last three Group 1 races at home. He is very much a home bird with his trips to Tokyo and Meydan ending in poor efforts.

In general, he is a similarly consistent type to Mr Brightside. He has won 10 of his 24 career starts, finishing second on six occasions and third in three of his other starts.

The winner in 2024 was Beauty Eternal, beating Red Lion with Voyage Bubble in third. That pair are back again but are $26 and $34 roughies as they are a combined 0/13 since! They need a season-best to get involved. All of which points to Mr Brightside being right in the places at worst.

Ka Ying Rising runs for David Hayes

There are no sprinters anywhere in the world who are rated as highly as Ka Ying Rising. It could be a massive day for the Hayes name at Sha Tin on April 27 given that the superstar speedball is trained by David Hayes, the father of the three Hayes boys who train Mr Brightside.

He is about a $1.20 shot with the bookies so he is not a horse who is going to make anyone rich from having a bet on him. It does show just how much of a remarkable performer he is with 12 wins from 14 starts in his career. In his two defeats, he has finished second on each occasion, beaten a nose and a short head in that pair.

Hong Kong is a popular destination for horse racing on the betting sites so placing a bet will not be an issue for those who think that Mr Brightside can take his Group 1 winning Australian form to Hong Kong.