Stow Storage Memsie Stakes (Group 1)

THE Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained Mr Brightside landed the first Group 1 of the Melbourne spring, posting a half-length win in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield last Saturday.

With Craig Williams in the saddle, Mr Brightside was posted three wide having jumped from the outside gate over 1,400 metres in the 14-horse field.

Under a strong hold and tracking Alligator Blood into the race, who had taken up outside of the leader, Mr Brightside was in clear air on rounding the final turn as he ranged up to the leaders.

Hitting the front with 100 metres to run, Williams kept his charge focused to hold off the Winx Stakes runner-up Princess Grace, by Karakontie, as the TJ Smith Stakes winner I Wish I Win, by Savabeel, charged late to fill third.

“I thought I had two options and the horse rewarded me with the decision I made and he’s really tough,” said Williams.

“I just loved the way he loves to stick his head out front and pin back his ears. If the Hayes boys want to go somewhere else with him this horse won’t disappoint because he’s a competitive horse, they’ve got a good handle on him and I’d be happy to put my red saddle on him wherever he runs.”

With Will Hayes having retired from Australian Rules Football at the highest level and joining his older brother Ben and twin JD in the training ranks, it was a memorable day for the family.

“I think we’re all pinching ourselves, Will’s had his first Group 1 win which is amazing, the whole team got a big buzz out of it,” said Ben Hayes.

Hard work

“Everyone back at the (Euroa) farm behind the scenes has really worked hard and to get the results like this with a special horse like Mr Brightside is incredible.”

For Mr Brightside it will be a trip to Flemington in a week’s time for the Makybe Diva Stakes, after which a decision will be made on the Cox Plate.

A winner now of 13 from 25, this was his first victory at weight-for-age, with markets currently rating him the best Cox Plate option after the Irish-bred Group 1 QE 11 Cup winner Romantic Warrior, trained in Hong Kong by Danny Shum Chap-shing.

THE Frankel gelding Soulcombe, winner of the Melrose Handicap at York last year, has burst into Melbourne Cup calculations, having his quote halved to be on the top line of betting with the Willie Mullins-trained Vauban after a slashing win at Caulfield on Saturday.

Settled in the back four in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes over 1,700 metres, Soulcombe hugged the rail before Blake Shinn angled for a run in the straight. Charging into calculations, Soulcombe darted through to hit the lead 50 metres out and win by a half-length.

“It was a massive return,” said Chris Waller’s racing manager Charlie Duckworth who was on-course. “Obviously, it’s pretty much a mile short of his best, but he showed a terrific turn of foot.

“We thought it wouldn’t be until he got over longer trips that he would show that sort of form, so we’re thrilled.

“He is trained out of the (former Lloyd Williams) Macedon stable as well so that’s obviously given us a bit of faith and confidence in the systems we’ve put in place there. He’s been working well and he loves it out there.”

Soulcombe’s win also caught the attention of Holly Doyle who has reached out to the owners to try and secure the ride of the Melbourne Cup.

“I won the Melrose (Handicap at York, August 2022) on him when he was trained by William Haggas, so I do know the horse,” said Doyle.

“I don’t have high expectations to get the ride but if you don’t ask, you don’t get I suppose. Obviously, he won at the weekend, and it was just an idea, an ambitious one, but who knows? To just get a ride in the Melbourne Cup would be great let alone on a chance with a horse like Soulcombe.”

THE Snitzel gelding Remarque signalled a changing of the guard, winning the Group 3 Concorde Stakes over 1,000 metres at Randwick as the once imperious Nature Strip was consigned to sixth and subsequently retired.

“He’s had his ups and downs, he’s been gelded, he’s had a throat operation – but he’s just an elite horse,” said Micheal Hawkes, the co-trainer of the five-year-old Remarque.

“We’ve just been extremely happy that the horse has come back bigger, stronger, better, and his trials have been great.”

First-up from a spell in the Concorde, Remarque won by a neck over the I Am Invincible filly In Secret and the Pride Of Dubai mare Bella Nipotina. With the A$20 million Everest just five weeks away, the question was asked.

Interested

“The big one’s there, of course. If you’re not interested you’re mad,” replied Hawkes. “Obviously the next step is The Shorts for him, we’re heading in that direction and there’s probably a lot of other people out there looking at him as well.”

FOR Nature Strip though, Saturday pulled the curtains down on a stellar career that hit a high water mark in the 2022 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. Post-race trainer Chris Waller had seen enough and after consulting with the owners quickly assembled a press conference.

“Everything he does he does to the best of his ability, even today, he was prepared well, he came to the race sound, he was trialling well,” said Waller. “Yes, he jumped well, he travelled nicely, he looked to come up the rise well but the same acceleration and spark wasn’t there. He’s just been such an amazing horse, it’s only fitting that we announce it as soon as the decision has been made.”

A nine-year-old Nicconi gelding, Nature Strip retires a winner of 22 of his 44 starts, including nine Group 1 wins, for earnings of over $20.7 million.

THE Irish-bred Just Fine, a Sea The Stars five-year-old, formerly trained by Sir Michael Stoute for King Charles, made a winning debut at Randwick for Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott and a syndicate of new owners.

Stepping out over 1,700 metres with Rachel King in the saddle Just Fine defeated another Irish-bred, the former Dermot Weld-trainer Tazaral, as five of the first seven across the line were all bred in Ireland.

“I think he’s a very nice, progressive horse,” said Adrian Bott of Just Fine. “We are hoping he develops into a contender for the (Group 1) Metropolitan later this spring.”