Look On The Brightside & Son of Scissor Kick Unbeaten

This week on Pedigree Microscope we take a look at Mr Brightside who returned to Caulfield with a brilliant first-up win in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes.

No one wanted Mr Brightside when he had a reserve of $50,000 at the 2019 NZB Ready To Run Sale and he ticked over $2.5 million in prize-money on Saturday. Phill Cataldo Bloodstock ended up buying him from the Phoenix Park draft at the 2019 NZB Karaka May Sale for just $22,000. Then purchased by New Zealand trainer Ralph Manning and some friends as an unraced two-year-old off gavelhouse.com for just $7,750. After running 5th on debut in New Zealand, he was sold to Australia and the rest is history.

Mr Brightside is by stallion Bullbars who stands at Highview Stud in New Zealand for just $4,000. In his best career win, Bullbars won the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes over 1400m at Flemington. He then followed this up with a close 2nd in the Group 1 Australian Guineas over a mile. Bullbars has only produced the 3 stakes-winners, Mr Brightside, Beauden and Contessa Vanessa.

Out of unraced Tavistock mare, Lilahjay, making Mr Brightside a half-brother to 8-time winner in Hong Kong, Will Power. Mr Clint is a close relation on the page who was named Champion 3YO in Singapore in 2018.

Mr Brightside has certainly exceeded the expectations of many and the lightly raced 5-year-old looks destined for even bigger targets in the future.

This week on Stallion Of The Week we take a look at Scissor Kick, sire of the very impressive Giga Kick. Scissor Kick stood at Arrowfield Stud during his time in Australia and then shuttled abroad to Haras d’Etreham in France. By Redoute’s Choice, Scissor Kick won the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes before before running a close 2nd to Hallowed Crown in the Group 1 Golden Rose with fellow stallion Shooting To Win finishing in 3rd.

Scissor Kick also won the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes in 2015 and took on a star-studded Group 1 All Aged Stakes to finish 4th beaten only 1 length. Finishing in front of him was none other than Dissident, Wandjina and Chautaqua.

Giga Kick is certainly flying the flag for the stallion, with Dzsenifer in Queensland the only other stakes-winner by Scissor Kick. With him seemingly now not on the roster at Haras d’Etreham, who knows where we’ll see Scissor Kick appear next.