Broadsiding, Mr. Brightside odds-on in respective Group 1 stakes at Caulfield

Broadsiding and Mr. Brightside will be odds-on favorites to win lucrative Group 1 races at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, on Friday evening in what could be preview of a potential first meeting of the pair in several months.

Broadsiding was 1-2 in early betting on Thursday to win the $2.01 million Caulfield Guineas for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds at a mile. Owned by Godolphin Racing and trained by James Cummings, Broadsiding has won 5 of 8 starts, including three Group 1 races at seven furlongs and a mile.

Broadsiding returned from a three-month layoff to win the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds at seven furlongs by a short head at Rosehill Gardens on Sept. 28, closing from seventh of 10.

By Too Darn Hot, Broadsiding leads a field of 11 in the Caulfield Guineas that includes Mayfair, who was third by slightly more than a neck in the $689,900 Golden Rose.

With Broadsiding being campaigned in age-specific races, he is unlikely to face Mr. Brightside until the early months of 2025 when Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds often race against older horses.

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Mr. Brightside, a 7-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, was 3-5 in early betting for Friday’s $673,100 Might and Power Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Caulfield. Mr. Brightside won the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at a mile at Flemington on Sept. 14, beating the brilliant mare Pride of Jenni by a half-length. Pride of Jenni beat Mr. Brightside in their latest starts, the Group 2 Feehan Stakes at Moonee Valley on Sept. 27.

Pride of Jenni is not racing this weekend, leaving Mr. Brightside as a standout in a field of eight in the Might and Power Stakes.

The distance may be an issue. Mr. Brightside is winless in five starts at 1 1/4 miles. His last start at the distance was a third behind Pride of Jenni by 8 1/4 lengths in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney in April, Australia’s leading race at that distance in the early months of the year.

Atishu, a 7-year-old mare, is part of the Might and Power field and has won three times at 1 1/4 miles. She was beaten in her last start at the distance when sixth in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington last weekend.

The Caulfield program includes the Group 1 Toorak Handicap at a mile, which drew a field of 12 led by Another Wil. A 5-year-old gelding, Another Wil has won his last two starts, both at seven furlongs, and will be favored in the $673,100 Toorak Handicap.

Antino, third in the Feehan, is a danger as a stalker.

Rosehill Gardens

The Group 2 Hill Stakes at 1 3/16 miles at Rosehill Gardens on Friday evening has a purse of $1.34 million, but lacks a clear favorite.

Pericles, third by four lengths in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Caulfield on Sept. 21, was the 3-1 second choice in early betting behind 5-2 Royal Patronage, who finished third by two lengths in a field of 20 in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap at a mile at Randwick on Oct. 5.

Kovalica, fourth in the Epsom, is also held in high regard despite having lost his last 13 starts in major stakes since May 2023.

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The Hill Stakes is a weight for age race. The leading handicap on the Rosehill Gardens program is the $1 million Alan Brown Stakes at seven furlongs, which drew a full field of 17.

Encap, a closer who won the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Sept. 14, was 7-1 in early betting, much higher than 3-1 favorite Gringotts, who was beaten a nose in the Bill Ritchie Stakes at seven furlongs at Randwick on Sept. 21.

The Rosehill Gardens program begins at 9:35 p.m. Eastern or 6:35 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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