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“Cherry ripe”: The best winning hopes from the Hayes stable this weekend
Andrew Slevison • February 6th, 2025 3:15 pm
JD Hayes is confident that stable star Mr Brightside is primed to run very well first-up this weekend.
Lindsay Park’s eight-time Group 1 champion resumes in the CF Orr Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield on Saturday following another successful spring campaign which culminated in victory in the Champions Mile at Flemington last November.
Hayes says the seven-year-old gelding is “cherry ripe” and has enjoyed exactly the same preparation as he did ahead of his resuming Orr triumph a year ago.
“He’s really, really good,” Hayes said on SENTrack’s Giddy Up.
“I couldn’t be happier with him. He hasn’t put a foot wrong and I’m looking forward to seeing how he competes.
“He’s got really good residual fitness underneath him. We’ve just ticked him over and we should have him cherry ripe first-up.
“We’ve done everything to the day exactly the same. He’s followed the exact same program, he’s maintained, all the checks and balances tick out and he’s a super consistent horse.
“I’m expecting him to put his best foot forward and usually it’s pretty good when he does that.”
The pathway forward for Mr Brightside after the Orr will be the Futurity Stakes and the All-Star Mile before the stable reassesses how he’s going. A trip to Hong Kong is certainly on the agenda.
Lindsay Park will also have promising three-year-old Evaporate back in action at Caulfield on Saturday.
His last run was a gut-buster when last in the Cox Plate so there is some uncertainty about how he’ll return, but Hayes is buoyant that he’s rebounded well over the last few months.
“In two trials he’s shown that he’s taken no ill-effects out of it,” Hayes said of the Per Incanto gelding.
“You never know until you put them down on race day, but we’re expecting him to run a very nice race first-up.
“It would put him on the right path for The Kiwi (New Zealand Bloodstock slot race).”
Evaporate can, according to Hayes, certainly win the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) against the likes of Angel Capital and Catoggio.
“It’s a super race. I do think he’s good enough (to win),” JD added.
“Especially coming back to his own age after competing in a very hot weight-for-age (Cox Plate), although he did get beaten a long way but not much went our way that day.
“I do think he’s taken nice improvement from the spring. I wouldn’t be writing him off on the weekend, I think he’s a good winning chance.”
Mr Brightside and Evaporate are the best of all of Lindsay Park’s runners at Caulfield on Saturday.
“I’ve got to go Mr Brightside, he never lets you down,” Hayes said regarding their best winning hope.
“I love it when he’s running because you can always put a circle around him.
“I’d have Evaporate a short half head behind him.”
Mr Brightside, to be ridden by regular jockey Craig Williams, is currently rated a $2.50 chance with Sportsbet for the CF Orr.
Evaporate, who will be partnered by Mark Zahra, is $3.60 second favourite for the Autumn Stakes.
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