Lindsay Park confirms Mr Brightside is ready for Hong Kong trip

After months of speculation and half-hearted commitments, it has now been confirmed that Mr Brightside will be going to Hong Kong this autumn.

The Lindsay Park training team of Ben, JD, and Will Hayes have planned for their 9-time Group 1-winner in the G1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse next month.

Mr Brightside is set to leave Australia and to arrive in Hong Kong less than two weeks before the big race on April 27.

Looking to build on a strong 2025

While the Hayes brothers had not outright said that Mr Brightside was going to Hong Kong, it was pretty clear all season long that a trip abroad was likely for the seven-year-old gelding.

Lindsay Park had brought up the possibility of Hong Kong so many times that the real question was when he would go, and not if. With that being said, Mr Brightside’s journey to Hong Kong was nearly derailed this month.

The gelding has raced in three Group 1 races in 2025: the CF Orr Stakes, the Futurity Stakes, and the All-Star Mile. Mr Brightside won the Futurity Stakes and finished runner-up in the other two races. Overall, it’s hard to describe the galloper’s start to 2025 as anything else but a success.

However, the biggest story coming out of these races was that Mr Brightside suffered a bruised heel in the All-Star Mile.

Healthy and ready to go

Mr Brightside’s bruised heel ruled him out of the George Ryder Stakes last weekend, but Lindsay Park asserts that the gelding is now healthy and will be ready for the Champions Mile in Hong Kong next month. However, he might need a little more time to fully recover.

“Off the way he pulled up (in the All-Star Mile) we decided not to go to the George Ryder,” Will Hayes explained.

“We wanted to get him right … we wanted to cruise around on it (his bruised heel) and not gallop him and make it worse.

“We just did the right thing by the horse and after a quiet week he’s come good.”

All-Aged Stakes unlikely

While Mr Brightside’s trip to Hong Kong has been confirmed, it’s still up in the air whether he will race in Australia again before leaving for Sha Tin. Will Hayes says that the gelding could also run in the All-Aged Stakes at Randwick before going to Hong Kong.

“Our campaign is probably going to be set between two races, we’re going to have a look at the All-Aged Stakes or we’re going to go straight to Hong Kong,” Hayes said.

However, Hayes also hinted that going straight to Hong Kong makes more sense for his gelding.

“That’s (Hong Kong) the logical path. We’re going to plan back from on Monday, given we are happy with how he’s now pulled up after the run,” he said.