Why age shouldn't weary Mr Brightside this spring

Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) will have a jumpout at Flemington on Monday as he prepares for a much-anticipated return to the races.

And Ben Hayes has warned punters not to underestimate the rising nine-year-old stable superstar this spring.

Mr Brightside, a winner of almost $19 million in prizemoney, hasn’t been seen on raceday since Champions Day last November.

He missed the autumn carnival with a fetlock injury.

Hayes said Mr Brightside had recovered well and was well on track ahead of his planned return in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes on August 29.

“You’ve got to remember, Fields Of Omagh won a Cox Plate at nine and Niconero won three Group 1s as a nine-year-old, as well,” Hayes pointed out on The Verdict podcast on Wednesday.

“They can do it.

“We feel like we’ve got him going like we always do.

“He has never let us down.

“We are looking forward to having him back.”