Brightside a chip off the old block - and we should celebrate by Michael Lynch

At a time when fillies and mares are dominating Australian racing - think Via Sistina, Pride of Jenni and Fangirl, amongst others now, Winx, Black Caviar, Typhoon Tracey and Makybe Diva before them  - let's salute that fantastic old gelding Mr Brightside.

The Hayes brothers star will be aiming to take his earnings close to the $18.5 million mark when he steps out in the Group 1 All Star Mile at Flemington on Saturday where he is hoping to land the 20th victory of his illustrious career,  his tenth at the highest level and his second triumph in this new big money addition to the Victorian late summer carnival.

But more than the money he has won, more than the memories of his sterling feats on the track, Mr Brightside should be celebrated for the fact that he is a survivor, a throwback to an era 25 and more years ago when older geldings ruled the roost.

They performed a crucial function in their role as benchmarks for each generation of three year olds who stayed in training to take them on.

Horses like Vo Rogue, Super Impose, Better Loosen Up, Mahogany, Sydeston, Northerly and more recently Fields of Omagh, Apache Cat, Buffering, Chautauqua and Takeover Target came back to the track year after year, often against battle hardened rivals whom they had faced on several previous occasions as well as the next generation of would be champions.

Year after year they provided a measuring stick against which to judge the younger brigade: some, like So You Think and the great mares mentioned above, would measure up, but plenty more didn't.

Not only did they provide a kind of scientific control group to compare emerging stars against, they built up cult followings helping to make racing popular with new as well as existing racegoers and punters.

Sure, they might take it in turns to beat each other (although the real champions like those cited won more often than not) but that was part of the great game.

That was especially the case each spring, as we waited to see how each had trained on, would they be as good as they were in the past, could they still dominate against all comers: usually the JJ Liston Stakes and Memsie Stakes gave a clue, then the Craiglee Stakes in early September and by then we usually knew where we were.

Of course two of those races have new names - the Craiglee is now the Makybe Diva and the Liston is now the PB Lawrence - while the Memsie back then was a Group 2 contest.

But they still serve a similar purpose and Mr Brightside has echoed the feats of his equine antecedents by contesting, and winning, all three during his career, most recently in the 2024 Makybe Diva when he saw off Pride of Jenni.

On Saturday he has a small enough field of just six rivals to see off and although he is well clear on official ratings (he is 120, his closest rival the mare Atishu is 115) jockey Craig Williams, who has partnered him to almost all of his group 1 wins, knows that ratings are only numbers and the tactics he and his rival riders adopt, the temperature, state of the track and myriad other variables will affect the shape of the race and it's outcome.

There is no doubt that the 1600 metre trip is ideal for the son of Bullbars, by far the best galloper the rather low key stallion has ever produced, while Flemington, where he has scored four times from 11 starts, will also hold no fears.

Tom Kitten, whom he only just held off in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield a fortnight ago, looks his toughest opponent and many will fancy him to make amends for an unlucky run which culminated in such a narrow loss last time.

But Tom Kitten, while a very consistent competitor in the highest class, is not a serial winner like Mr Brightside and has only won once in four second up attempts.

Atishu, on the other hand, could be a different proposition especially as she is receiving the mares allowance. She is three from nine second up (with two other second place finishes) and four from ten at Flemington while she scored at Group 1 level against mares in the Empire Rose Stakes last spring over the All Star Mile course and distance. She resumed when finishing just over three lengths behind Fangirl in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick, and the step up from 1400 metres to 1600 should suit the now seven year old.

Another Wil is likely to be best backed to see off Mr Brightside, having beaten him already this campaign in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes at the beginning of February when both were making their returns to the track after a summer break.

The margin that day was just under half a length and there is no doubt that the Jamie Melham partnered, Ciaron Maher trained galloper may prove to be the most difficult to beat.

He is a horse on the up and brought the house down when he won at Caulfield in the colours of the late Col McKenna, who did so much to support Maher when he was coming through the training ranks and Melham (nee Kah) when she was establishing herself as one of Victoria's top riders.

It may be a small field but it is a fascinating contest and with seven year old Mr Brightside, five year old Another Wil and four year old Tom Kitten being geldings perhaps the trifecta will be a back to the future moment for those who love to see the tough gelded warriors of the track get their share of the limelight.