Punt Drunk: Mr Brightside takes centre stage once again

Welcome to another Monday edition of Punt Drunk as we look back on the weekend of racing that was and what lies ahead throughout the new racing season for 2021/22.

He’s Mr Brightside

Mr Brightside wins at Sandown
Mr Brightside (NZ) ridden by Craig Williams wins the Ladbrokes Bet Ticker Handicap at Ladbrokes Park Lakeside Racecourse on August 01, 2021 in Springvale, Australia. (Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)

When people hear about Mr Brightside, they instantly go towards Brandon Flowers and The Killers, but we were taken by the metropolitan win of the Ben & JD Hayes runner at Sandown on Sunday. He came out of his cage and did just fine when putting 3.75 lengths on his rivals, giving the Hayes brothers their first metro win as a training combination for Lindsay Park following Tom Dabernig’s departure. Ben Hayes even declared his runner has Group 1 potential, and we expect him to see him line up in some of the spring features.

We are Thunderstruck by rising star

I'm Thunderstruck
I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) ridden by Jamie Kah wins at Flemington Racecourse on July 17, 2021. (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

We have zero doubt that the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr-trained I’m Thunderstruck is a star on the rise after he made it three wins from four starts this campaign with an impressive run at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Having been challenged by the Lindsey Smith-trained Tuvalu at the top of the home straight, the four-year-old gelding looked better on the eye than what the half-length victory may suggest. He is now set for a breather, and Price was quick to single out the $7.5 million Golden Eagle in Sydney as a spring target.

Waller breaks his own training record

Chris Waller
Chris Waller thinking about just how good he is.

Headline: “Chris Waller trains winner” is as expected as us bombing out of the Saturday quaddie in the first leg. With So Wicked’s win at Randwick on Saturday, Waller brought up an impressive 339.5 winners in the 2020/21 racing season, bettering his previous best of 339 winners. Perhaps the most ironic thing to come out of Waller’s feat was that he compared his superstar mare Winx to So Wicked, a runner who has earned connections $249,000 from 32 starts and seven wins. He compared their running styles, with their relation through sire Street Cry. It is safe to say that is this only comparison he could ever make between the two, but perhaps he was just insanely focused on the post-race beers he was going to devour.

Monday Racing Tips – August 2, 2021


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About Punt Drunk

Welcome to Punt Drunk! Our new daily column covering all the latest horse racing and punting controversies, dramas and headline news. Have a story or gripe or issue that just grinds your gears? Just hit us up in the comments or contact us page and our jaded, punt hardened Punt Drunk staff will give it the Punt Drunk treatment it deserves. Don’t expect pleasantries or typical racing media fanboy gloss from Punt Drunk – we’re on the punt and we don’t have time to bullshit; the next is about to jump…

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