The Tony and Calvin McEvoy trained Yellow Jersey has led home Mr Brightside in a specially arranged trial on the Caulfield Heath ahead of Saturday’s meeting at Caulfield.
The French-bred son of Dubawi is being prepared for a tilt at the Cox Plate which is this year run over 2000m at Flemington.
Yellow Jersey has raced just five times and has only had one start in Australia, finishing second over 1600m at Eagle Farm in June.
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Calvin McEvoy said he was an exciting horse, a very well-bred horse and one the stable has always liked.
“He was a bit underdone going into his first run in Brisbane as there had been a lot of rain and it wasn’t a perfect prep going to the mile first-up,” McEvoy said.
“I think we’ve got a better handle on him this preparation and his trial in Sydney was super, he was very strong in that trial.
“I thought today he was better, more controlled.”
McEvoy said there was options for the gelding to run first-up.
“There is an aggressive Memsie, there is a benchmark 100 over 1400 metres the same day in which he would get 62 (kg),” McEvoy said.
“There is the 1500-metre at Sandown the following week, there’s The Heatherlie.
“He’s got scope to do plenty. Trials are trials, so hopefully he can do it race day.”
Meanwhile the Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes are hoping to get access to the Sandown course proper next Saturday for a final gallop for Mr Brightside ahead of his return in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 29.
Mr Brightside’s second place finish in Saturday’s trial was the second outing the gelding has had as he prepares for his racetrack return.
The now nine-year-old missed the autumn after undergoing surgery for a bone chip.
Ben Hayes said the team was happy with Mr Brightside.
“He was here to have a nice hit-out,” Hayes said.
“He flew the gates, went to the front, had his ears pricked and he went to the line quite nicely, although he got caught on the line, but it is a trial.
“The most important thing is, he acted as he always does when he goes to the races.
“He was super quiet in the parade, he had a good healthy blow, and he’s still got to clean up in the coat a bit more.”
Mr Brightside was down to jump-out at Flemington on Wednesday, but the Lindsay Park team felt he would get more benefit from a trip on the float.
“We had the opportunity to bring him to the track, give him the race day experience and now we’re two weeks out,” Hayes said.
“We’re in discussion with the MRC to have a course proper galloper next Saturday and then he should be spot on.
“We want him a bit more forward than we normally do because he’s a nine-year-old now and he missed the autumn.”
