Mr Brightside opens short in Futurity Stakes betting

The first of the three Group 1 races at Caulfield in Melbourne, Australia, this Saturday will be the A$750,000 Futurity Stakes over 1400m.

With only eight runners accepting for the weight-for-age feature, Mr Brightside has opened as a -200 favourite with the top racing bookmakers.

The Ben, Will & JD Hayes-trained galloper will be seeking his sixth Group 1 success in the Futurity, having claimed his fifth with a barnstorming finish in the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes at this track and trip first-up.

The son of Bullbars defeated three rivals last start that he will face again on Saturday, as Pericles (+1200), Munhamek (+1700) and Buffalo River (+1200) have all taken the same route as the favourite to begin their autumn campaign.

Nugget (+700) will return from a 19-week spell after he was last seen running an impressive fourth in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes at Randwick on October 14.

The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding will gain the services of Mark Zahra and will be seeking his first Group 1 victory at the sixth time of asking.

Mitchell Freedman claimed his maiden Group 1 win as a trainer when Attrition (+800) claimed the Toorak Handicap last time out, and he will be looking to claim his second when his four-year-old entire kicks off his campaign at Caulfield this weekend.

The Futurity Stakes will be race seven on the Caulfield program and is scheduled to jump at 3:40pm AEDT.