Australia: Mr Brightside tries to make it three straight in Sandown handicap

The competition is getting tougher for Mr Brightside, who has won his last two starts and will be favored to extend the winning streak in a one-mile handicap at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, on Wednesday.

Mr Brightside won a maiden race in his third start, which came at about 7 1/4 furlongs at Geelong Racecourse on July 16 and followed with a victory against winners in one-mile handicap at Sandown on Aug. 1 as the 8-5 favorite.

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In early betting on Monday, Mr Brightside was the even-money favorite in a field of nine. The Sandown program begins at 10:25 p.m., Eastern, or 7:25 p.m., Pacific, on Tuesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Trained by Ben and J.D. Hayes, Mr Brightside will start from the rail and will be ridden by Craig Williams, who was aboard for the two recent wins. A 4-year-old gelding by the Elusive Quality stallion Bullbars, Mr Brightside tends to run as a stalker. In the Aug. 1 race, Mr Brightside closed from fifth of 14 to win by a convincing 3 3/4 lengths.

Two other runners in this Sandown race won their last start – Ayahuasca and Eagles Crag. Both figure to push Mr Brightside in the stretch.

Ayahuasca, a 4-year-old filly, won for the second time, taking a one-mile handicap at Sandown on July 21. She closed from fifth of nine to prevail by 3 1/2 lengths.

Eagles Crag has won 2 of 3 starts. An Irish-bred 5-year-old, Eagles Crag was ninth in his debut, which came at Newmarket Racecourse in England in June 2020, and did not race again until February of this year when he won a one-mile maiden race at Pakenham Racecourse in Australia. Eagles Crag won a one-mile handicap at Sandown in March in his most recent start.

Ayahuasca and Eagles Crag are rising in class level from their last start.