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

Mr. Brightside secures Group 2 Feehan Stakes spot ahead of Cox Plate
Highlights
- Mr. Brightside confirms Cox Plate preparation schedule with Feehan Stakes run.
- Pinstriped, Pride Of Jenni also expected to run.
- Mr. Brightside is a contender for the upcoming Group 1 Cox Plate.
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.
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I am an avid horse racing enthusiast and punter. Growing up in Randwick, I have been surrounded by racing through stories from the elderly’s past endeavours to the racecourse and owners that are friends of the family. I am also a data-scientist and am fascinated and intrigued by the algorithmic approach to form. I’ve has become more involved with racing over the past few years due to simultaneously delving deeper into the sport and learning how to apply a data driven approach to punting. Beyond Racing, I am an avid NRL fan and MMA fan, the latter of which I have largely applied the same philosophy of methodical, data driven punting towards and found solid success in the MMA space and I continue to track and improve my strategies.