Lindsay Park’s Mr Brightside will step up his preparations for his first international race with an 800m jump-out at Flemington on Friday.

Trained by Ben, Will, and Jd Hayes, the galloper will have another jump-out, possibly next Friday, before flying to Hong Kong for the Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on April 27.

The Hayes brothers are excited about the trip and will consult their father, David Hayes, for guidance in the lead-up to the race.

Mr Brightside won the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) in February and last raced on March 8, finishing second to Tom Kitten in the Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington.

Ben Hayes expressed excitement about the overseas venture. “It’s something we have always wanted to do,” he said.

“With the prize money being so good in Australia and so many good opportunities here, with him winning nine Group 1’s and being placed in eight, the timing wasn’t right. But I think it’s a good year to be going. The absolute superstar Golden Sixty is not around anymore, Romantic Warrior is not going to run, and he would most likely have been in the 2000-metre race anyway.”

Hayes confirmed there are no immediate plans to race abroad again, with a break planned post-Hong Kong. He also highlighted the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m) and the Champions Mile (1600m) as likely spring targets.

“The beauty with going to Hong Kong is we’ll have time to get him back, give him a break, and then target a spring campaign,” Hayes said. “There are those great races like the King Charles and the mile race on final day at Flemington. The Carnival lingers on, so there’s lots more racing later on, but we’ll probably look to keep him at races up to a mile now as there’s so many options. It’s exciting.”