Cox Plate field: Hayes expect better Mr Brightside
Mr Brightside in full flight winning the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes
Trainer Ben Hayes has rebuffed any distance queries on Cox Plate contender Mr Brightside in the lead-up to Australia's weight-for-age championship.
Mr Brightside, the $8 third favourite with TAB for the Cox Plate on Saturday at The Valley, has won 10 of 15 starts at 1600m, including three at the highest level and the All-Star Mile.
The $10m prizemoney earner competed twice at 2000m last season and finished fourth and seventh respectively in The Might And Power and Cox Plate.
"I'll be really confident if he can draw a barrier and we get the rain," Hayes said.
"I don't think 2000 is the issue, I know people think it is, every time he's been out in trip he's had to go back to last and hit the line, and he has hit the line.
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"We're very confident in him, he's never let us down and I don't think he will."
Hayes confirmed Mr Brightside would bypass 'Breakfast with the Best' at The Valley on Tuesday morning to work at Lindsay Park's Euroa base instead.
Tim Clark riding Alligator Blood to victory in the Might And Power Stakes. Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images
Cox Plate headliners Alligator Blood, Zaaki, Fangirl, Militarize, Duais and King Colorado are among horses entered for gallops at The Valley on Tuesday ahead of Australia's best race.
Fangirl and Militarize, both trained by Chris Waller, had a first look at The Valley last Saturday to help them focus ahead of Tuesday's work.
Hong Kong star and favourite Romantic Warrior will gallop privately at The Valley on Monday.
Mr Brightside worked nicely at Euroa last Saturday, his first serious piece of work since the last start Group 1 King Charles III Stakes defeat at Randwick.
The runner-up could not accelerate as quickly as Fangirl on the firm surface at Randwick.
"He ran into Fangirl, who had an absolute birthday, she ran a career peak performance and she's a very good horse," Hayes said.
"Happy with the way he pulled up, he probably pulled up better than we expected, which is really good because we just felt he didn't really let down on that hard track.
"His Makybe Diva (Stakes) run he probably won too easy, and then a month between runs probably got us, it wasn't a good hard hit out, it was a win on the bridle hands and heels.
"He still ran really well (King Charles III Stakes), very proud of him, but I'm hoping this week we get a bit of rain and there's a bit of give in the track."
Fangirl explodes in the $5million King Charles III Stakes ðŸ-¥ðŸ-¥ðŸ-¥@cwallerracing
Mr Brightside and My Oberon fill the minors behind the five-year-old mare@mcacajamez with a double!#RoyalRandwick#TABEverestpic.twitter.com/dXw3sXCbkF
- Australian Turf Club (@aus_turf_club) October 14, 2023
Mr Brightside has won three races at The Valley previously, all 1600m events including the $5m All-Star Mile, with the only defeat coming in the Cox Plate last year, seventh beaten 2.6 lengths behind Anamoe.
"If we can draw a barrier and get a nice soft run, he's a proper chance in the race," Hayes said.
"It's a really exciting Cox Plate this year, it's open, there's so many chances and this is what the race should be.
"I think it's gettable for us, for sure, I think every horse you could have an argument for, and every trainer would be confident, that's good, that's how Group 1 races should be.
"There's not a $1.50 favourite in it, which there has been the last couple of years, this year it's open, will probably be $5 the field."
Romantic Warrior is a $4.50 favourite in TAB's all-in market from Alligator Blood ($6), Gold Trip ($7), Victoria Road ($7), Mr Brightside ($8), Fangirl ($9) and Militarize ($9).
In line with tradition, the Moonee Valley Racing Club committee on Tuesday morning will determine the final field for Australasia's $5m weight-for-age classic before the draw soon afterwards.
A field of 11 or 12 is expected this year.
Gilbert Gardiner's Likely Cox Plate Field
Horse (Trainer) Jockey Price
Romantic Warrior (Danny Shum) James McDonald $4.50
Alligator Blood (Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott) Tim Clark $6
Gold Trip (Ciaron Maher and David Eustace) Mark Zahra $7
Victoria Road (Aidan O'Brien) Blake Shinn $7
Mr Brightside (Ben, JD and Will Hayes) Craig Williams $8
Fangirl (Chris Waller) Zac Purton $9
Militarize (Chris Waller) Zac Lloyd $9
King Colorado (Ciaron Maher and David Eustace) Michael Dee $17
Duais (Ed Cummings) Damien Oliver $26
Zaaki (Annabel Neasham) Damian Lane $26
Pinstriped (Enver Jusufovic) Ben Allen $34
My Oberon (Annabel Neasham) John Allen $51
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The Valley Race 9
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Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m)
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| 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 2 | 500 | 3.15 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.7 | |||
| 23 | 20 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 11 | 800 | 21.5 | 21 | 21 | 21 | |||
| 9 | 9 | 10 | 8.5 | 9 | 1.29 | 300 | 9.3 | 9.5 | 10 | 9 | |||
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 1.06 | 800 | 5.7 | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | |||
| 7.5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 300 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7 | 7 | |||
| 71 | 51 | 71 | 61 | 61 | 5.3 | 70 | 63 | 61 | 67 | 61 | |||
| 101 | 81 | 126 | 101 | 101 | 100 | 960 | 101 | 91 | 126 | 101 | |||
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 7 | 6 | 4.1 | 9 | 6.7 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6 | |||
| 34 | 31 | 41 | 41 | 34 | 3.2 | 800 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 34 | |||
| 18 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 9 | 800 | 18.2 | 18 | 17 | 17 | |||
| 8 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 8.5 | 4.4 | 170 | 8.6 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | |||
| 26 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 4.6 | 15.5 | 25.5 | 26 | 29 | 26 | |||
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Market percentage
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116 | 118 | 113 | 116 | 118 | 376 | 21 | 119 | 113 | 117 | 118 | ||
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Quick Bet
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Form Guide
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