Mr. Brightside to run in Group 2 Feehan Stakes ahead of Cox Plate

Mr. Brightside’s path towards the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley Racecourse is now set. The seven-time Group 1 winner will run in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) on September 27. It will be his second-to-last race before the big Spring Carnival Cox Plate showcase on October 26.
 
The Lindsay Park-trained thoroughbred is one of the major contenders to win the Cox Plate. The betting sites give him $8 chances, with a little over a month left before the race.

Makybe Diva Stakes win boosts Mr. Brightside 

Mr. Brightside has gotten off to a flying start in the 2024/25 horse racing season.
 
The seven-year-old gelding started his campaign with a second-place finish in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes. He then followed it up with a thrilling win by half-a-length in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes over Pride Of Jenni.
 
Mr. Brightside’s trainers at Lindsay Park were especially impressed by his Makybe Diva Stakes run. The team of Ben, JD, and Will Hayes think this could be a big year for Mr. Brightside.
 
“He pulled-up just as well as he did first-up and that was the best he had pulled-up for two years,” Ben Hayes said.
 
“The wet track definitely worked in his favour and the way the race panned out, it was perfect,” he added.

Feehan Stakes next

As impressive as the Makybe Diva Stakes run at Flemington was for Mr. Brightside, his trainers think he can do even better.
 
“He’s in good order with further improvement to come, which is nice,” Ben Hayes said.
 
Mr. Brigthside’s next big test will be the Feehan Stakes at Moonee Valley on September 27, the Lindsay Park stable have confirmed.
 
“We’re going to the Feehan, then we’ll go to the Might And Power two weeks after that and then two weeks to the Cox Plate,” Hayes explained.
 
“I think that is the best way for him to get to what his Grand Final is.”

Early Cox Plate preview 

The Group 1 Cox Plate is still over a month away, but the horse racing betting world is already eying up potential winners.
 
Japanese sprinter Prognosis currently leads the Cox Plate betting odds list with $5 chances to win. 2024 Winx Stakes winner Via Sistina is next at $6, followed by Pride of Jenni with $7 odds to win.
 
Mr. Brightside at $8 is among the top four. The gap widens a bit behind the seven-year old.
 
Broadsiding ($12), Fangirl ($15), and Another Wil ($17) round out the top six most likely to win the Cox Plate according to the bookmakers.