‘This is what I dreamt of as a kid’: the Brightside of a traumatic week in racing

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Like all racing greats, the evergreen Mr Brightside has a habit of winning when the sport needs it most.

His record-breaking third straight group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington on Saturday came at a time that the racing community continued to hold its breath for injured jockey Tom Prebble.

Craig Williams salutes aboard crowd favourite Mr Brightside.

The 23-year-old apprentice fell during a race at Warrnambool during the week and remains in a serious condition in The Alfred after having spinal surgery. Doctors say the full extent of his injuries remain unclear.

Racing needed a short breather, and Mr Brightside delivered.

Tom Prebble is recovering from spinal surgery in The Alfred hospital.

Jockey Craig Williams is one who knows that life is bigger than the sport, but sometimes the sport is needed to help put life into perspective.

He had not long returned from the reality check of another aid mission to war-torn Ukraine, the birthplace of his wife, Larysa.

“I think after my experience, and what we do in Ukraine, it just makes me more grateful – the things I take for granted each day, to be able to partner up with a horse like him, put on a show and people come out and support our amazing industry,” Williams said post-race at Flemington.

“This is what I dreamt of as a kid and wrote stories about at school – this is what every rider in the jockey’s room works hard for and continues to work hard for, to win group 1s and especially these feature races like the Makybe Diva Stakes.”

Mr Brightside defied the odds again on Saturday, winning his 10th group 1 and stamping himself as the best 1600-metre horse in the country, leaving the reigning horse of the year Via Sistina in his wake.

That he did it as an eight-year-old is even more astounding. He keeps getting better with age.

“He’s an absolute champion, no one can deny that now and maybe people will start respecting him, and tipping him,” a delighted co-trainer Ben Hayes said.

The three Hayes brothers know that life can be challenging. When they took over Lindsay Park from their hall-of-famer father David they had a mountain to climb. Mr Brightside dragged them back to the top.

“I’m so proud of him and for him to come back and win, to show how good he is, makes us so proud,” Hayes said.

“For J.D. and Will and I, he’s the most special horse we’ve ever had. We’re just the frontmen, but [track rider] Ross, [strapper] Will – he means a lot to everyone and the whole team.”

Mr Brightside led from start to finish, beating Chris Waller’s rising star Aeliana by more than a length. Via Sistina finished third.

But like all racing greats, jockey James McDonald was able to put Via Sistina’s unexpected loss into perspective.

“[Chris Waller] is a master trainer – he knows what he’s doing, he’ll peak her up,” McDonald said.

“Obviously [we would] love our time again, being outside lead or leading, but that’s racing – we’ll move on and win the next one.”

Earlier, the Robert Hickmott-trained Revelare booked a Melbourne Cup ticket by winning the group 3 Lexus Archer Stakes (over 2500 metres).

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