Lindsay Park has decided against using the All-Star Mile wildcard earned by Marble Arch at Flemington on Saturday, instead opting to target Sydney with the talented mare.
The daughter of Per Incanto claimed her first Group 2 victory in the Blamey Stakes (1600m), which secured her a place in this Saturday’s $2.5 million All-Star Mile. However, trainer Ben Hayes revealed that the Group 1 race had arrived a bit too soon in her preparation.
Rather than backing up quickly, Hayes and his co-trainers, brothers Will and JD, have set their sights on the $1 million Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill the following week.
“Marble Arch pulled up not quite 100 percent to back up, she’s absolutely fine, but she just felt the run a little bit,” Hayes said on Monday morning.
“It was a career peak performance and we’re probably looking to lean towards heading to Sydney and running in the Coolmore.
“The way she ran on Saturday she’d be very competitive in a Coolmore against the really good fillies and mares in Sydney.”
While Marble Arch will forgo her All-Star Mile ballot exemption, stablemate Rise At Dawn will take advantage of his, earned through his victory in the Listed The Elms at Flemington on February 15.
The Elms Stakes was the same race in which Mr Brightside finished third in 2022 before securing fourth place in the All-Star Mile and going on to win back-to-back Doncaster Miles. Hayes suggested this weekend’s performance could determine whether Rise At Dawn could follow a similar trajectory.
“We were joking when he won last start that he was ‘Brightside 2.0′,” he said.
“Brightside ran fourth in an All-Star Mile then went on to win a Donny (Doncaster), at this stage he looks like sneaking into that race with a very light weight (51kg) so if he can get in with a weight like that it’d be exciting.
“It would not surprise me if he could finish in the top four, but we’ll be learning. He’s taking on the best and it will give us a good guide where he’s at.”
Lindsay Park’s top contender for the 2025 All-Star Mile remains Mr Brightside, who is set to compete in his fourth All-Star Mile. He won the 2023 edition at Moonee Valley before finishing second to Pride Of Jenni last year at Caulfield.
Despite drawing wide barriers in both the C F Orr Stakes and Futurity Stakes, the seven-year-old heads into the race following a runner-up finish in the Orr and a victory in the Futurity. Hayes hopes for a better draw this time.
“I’d love it if he was able to draw a barrier where he can take a sit, because I think he’s a horse better chasing, but he’s in great order and we can’t fault him.”
Mr Brightside is the $2.80 favorite for the All-Star Mile, ahead of Another Wil ($4) and Futurity Stakes runner-up Tom Kitten ($5), with Rise At Dawn a $26 outsider.
