By Lloyd Jackson
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Mr Brightside (Bullbars), who may be better named Mr Upside, has put the cat amongst the pigeons with his superb return to winning form in Saturday’s Makybe Diva Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m), his third Makybe Diva in a row.
The mile is his domain and rider Craig Williams can take a good deal of the credit for the eight-year-old’s 20th victory, tenth Group 1 and taking the venerable gelding’s earnings to within $32,000 of a magnificent $18 million.
Just when we thought the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) looked to be a match race between rising star Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) and Australian Horse of the Year Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock), in the space of a couple of weeks the Cox Plate picture has already undergone, now three changes.
During the week we learned that Treasurethe Moment suffered a (thankfully) mild case of colic. Saturday’s Group 1 saw two changes. Via Sistina was caught out by the sit and sprint tactics so cleverly employed by Williams and Mr Brightside himself made the bold statement that he is far from done. The only question remaining is: Will they or won’t they? Regarding whether his connections are willing to make a fourth-consecutive attempt at Australia’s weight-for-age championship.
In eight tries beyond 1600 metres, Mr Brightside is yet to win. The closest he came was the head bobber second (beaten a nose) in the titanic struggle against champion Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) in 2023, his second Cox Plate attempt. His first resulted in a seventh while his third saw him finish fourth in 2024.
Therefore, it is abundantly clear that, the 2023 contest aside, 2000 metres seems to be just beyond him as 13 of his 20 wins have taken place at 1600 metres and the remaining seven at shorter distances. On the other hand, the tricky and tight Moonee Valley track has been good to him having scored three wins there.
This preparation, the 1400 metres of the Group 1 Memsie Stakes fresh-up was perhaps a bit sharp for Mr Brightside these days but he certainly relished Saturday’s extra 200 metres. Once Williams set him alight at the 400 metres the old boy didn’t react like an eight-year-old. No, he accelerated brilliantly and had the race well under control from 200 metres out.
Via Sistina may have found the tactics and the 1600 metres against her and it was obvious that, although the race was over, she was doing best work late, as if she (also an eight-year-old) would improve with the run and prefer a middle distance.
Is it me or has the time really flown so fast? It only seems as if the season has just begun and yet there are only five Saturdays of racing between now and the 2026 Cox Plate. That doesn’t give other aspirants much time to mount their challenge.
History tells us that the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner can often be a candidate so at this point, assuming that the Hayes camp are heading towards Moonee Valley that last Saturday of October, the race has the potential to be yet another great edition.
Second in the Makybe Diva was Aeliana (Castelvecchio) and her run also indicated that she cannot be discounted. If the Caulfield Guineas winner accepts, that means there should be at least five live chances in the event.
Mr Brightside represents the fifth crop of Bullbars (Elusive Quality) but despite the incredible winning record of Mr Brightside the stallion never gained a foothold in New Zealand, averaging 28 mares his first five seasons then plummeting to an average of seven mares for his last four, prior to his demise in 2023. Even though Mr Brightside was a super advertisement, breeders shied away from the sire of three stakes winners whose winners/runners ratio was 62.4 per cent. As is often said: They nearly all get one good one and in Bullbars’ case, Mr Brightside fits that bill in spades.
Mr Brightside’s family is perhaps the hottest currently. His great granddam Delia’s Choice (Sir Tristram) is a sister to Her Dynasty, the great granddam of super sprinter and The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) favourite Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress).
Novara on a high
Novara Park’s Luigi Muollo, who stands Sweynesse (Lonhro), will be beaming after Riccarton’s meeting which saw Miss Starlight (Sweynesse) down a more than useful field in the Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m). The filly showed up for her first attempt on grass after scoring twice in her only two starts which were on Riccarton’s synthetic track.
As green as grass, Miss Starlight was gawking from the outset and it wasn’t until near the end of the chute that she finally got down to business, keeping a better line. Into the home straight she sat just outside the leader, levelled up at the 300 metres then went clear although Tina Comignaghi appeared to need a strong hold on the left reign. To the line she was far too good and had a length and three-quarters to spare in 1:10.58 for the 1200 metres on a Soft 5 surface. Provided she learns to gallop in a straight line she should have no problem in extending her unbeaten record.
Miss Starlight is the sixth winner and second stakes performer from her dam, Firelight (Fantastic Light), a five times winner whose best placing was a fourth in the Warstep Stakes (Listed, 2000m). Firelight, conceived in Australia but foaled in New Zealand, was bred by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber in conjunction with Olympic equestrian Sir Mark Todd. Miss Starlight, bred by Karen Parsons who co-owns and co-trains her in partnership with husband John, was not offered for sale. The Parsons also bred, own and train Miss Starlight’s older sister On File who was successful in the last race of Riccarton’s card, adding win four to her record and a nice double for Sweynesse.
Firelight is the best of seven winners from Worship (Irish River), also the dam of Bible Class (Volksraad), in turn the dam of Group 3 winner Slice Of Class (Guillotine). Worship was bred by Henrietta, Duchess of Bedford, operator of Bloomsbury Stud. Worship’s half-sister Upstage (Quest For Fame) produced the top class sprinter-miler Tavistock (Montjeu) who later stood at Cambridge Stud where he sired more than 50 stakes winners before losing his life after a tragic paddock accident.
Miss Starlight is the eighth individual stakes winner for her sire Sweynesse whose son, four-time Hong Kong Group 1 winner Lucky Sweynesse was, not that long ago, ranked the best sprinter in the world. Sweynesse has sired five individual winners so far in September.
NZ bred….sort of
He’s by New Zealand-bred international champion So You Think (High Chaparral) from New Zealand-bred Reveal The Goddess (Zabeel) and his name is Revelare yet he was foaled in Australia, but we think we Kiwis might claim him anyway. Who wouldn’t want to with such an imposing record plus he just earned a golden ticket into the 2025 Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m).
By taking out the Archer Stakes (Gr 3, 2500m), Revelare is assured a start in the Cup and the gelding’s desire to keep winning may well continue. The five-year-old has raced just 11 times for eight wins, Saturday’s win his first attempt at stakes level.
His connections have exercised great patience, to the degree that Revelare didn’t see a race start until he was a month off turning four, scoring at his second start. At four he faced the starter six times, winning his last five and progressing through the grades at Sandown (twice) and Flemington (twice), often with ease.
Fresh-up this time in, he found the distance too short and the track too soft at Caulfield over 1600 metres before claiming a quality Caulfield handicap over 2000 metres, followed by Saturday’s stakes breakthrough. Now that the competition is tougher, his winning margins are smaller but he knows where the line is and keeps giving, evidenced by his last 300 metres at Flemington in the Archer where his jockey merely used hands and heels to achieve the win.
He is definitely bred to see out the 3200 metres of the Melbourne Cup. His dam won at 2400 metres and her sister, Sheezababe (Zabeel) was placed in the New Zealand St Leger (Listed, 2500m). Sheezababe’s son King Of Thunder (Tivaci) ran second in the most recent Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m). The kicker is that Revelare’s granddam is Honor Babe (Honor Grades), champion New Zealand Stayer of 2003 and the winner of six races including the Sydney Cup (Gr 1, 3200m).
Australia beckons, again
The racing riches of Australia have struck again and a very promising sort, Humza Bey (Belardo), is off to the Cranbourne stable of Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr subsequent to a sale negotiated by agent Phill Cataldo. Humza Bey was identified in ANZ Bloodstock News’ Kiwi Chronicles two weeks ago as having a bright future, which is quite easy to predict considering he was unbeaten in his only two starts. The second of his wins caught the eye of many as his jockey explained that the four-year-old had every reason to be beaten yet found a way to get the job done.
Price explains: “In Saturday Grade he displayed very good capacity to absorb early pressure, sit three wide without cover and keep running away with the race. To overcome such difficulties and still win impressively at only his second start, is certainly the sign of a very progressive horse.”
Humza Bey won’t be the first Belardo (Lope De Vega) galloper in the Price/Kent stable. Listed winner Golden Path (Belardo), also trained by the duo, landed the last race on the Flemington card, adding win six and banking a career total of $620,000.
Although New Zealand stakes levels have and are improving, the stakes on offer in Australia are simply too hard to ignore and Humza Bey has the potential to be very good. We will have to be content that he represents New Zealand and that our cousins in Australia continue to keep our New Zealand bloodstock industry afloat.