Two and a half weeks remain before the 2024 All-Star Mile

We have seven provisional acceptors for the 2024 All-Star Mile at Caulfield. We run the rule over those we expect to line up.  

There were 15 runners in the 2023 All-Star Mile, so we are not quite at the halfway stage of the field this year, but there are already some smart types set to line up. They include the 2023 winner, Mr Brightside, who is out to cement himself as one of the best in the country. 

There is not long to wait until March 16 and the 2024 running of the All-Star Mile. The $4 million Caulfield feature is still a relatively new race on the calendar, given that it was only run for the first time in 2019, but it has quickly made up into an unmissable race.  

Mr Brightside 

The six-time Group 1 winner is the defending champion and is coming to the boil nicely this prep. He has already had a pair of starts, winning the C F Orr Stakes and then the Futurity Stakes last weekend. There are not many 1600m horses in Australia he has not taken on that are of Group 1 level, though it is sad that his old rival Alligator Blood misses this with injury. 

Pericles 

He got the closest to Mr Brightside in the Futurity last weekend - he was a length and a half behind at the line. That is a big step up on the four lengths he was beaten in the Orr, so it will be interesting to see if he can close the gap a little more. The Godolphin-owned gelding has yet to break his Group 1 duck, but he has been knocking on the door.

Buffalo River 

Third, in the Futurity, he had set the early fractions. He was easily brushed aside by the first two but had to do some extra work to get over from the seven barrier early before he stretched clear in the middle stages of the contest. The eight-year-old keeps hitting the frame at the top level but finds others stronger, and with competition for the early lead, that will be the case again. 

Dom To Shoot 

He has some work to do on the three that finished in front of him in the Futurity, but it was his first run of the prep compared to those who beat him, who had already blown away the cobwebs. He came good in the spring to win the Group 1 Northerly, where he just edged out Zaaki, who won the 2022 All-Star Mile. It will be interesting to see how much interest he gets in the market, as he might end up being a touch overpriced. 

Pride Of Jenni 

Was immense when going from the front in the Group 1’s Empire Rose and Cantala in back-to-back weeks at Flemington in the spring. Mr Brightside just ran her down in the C F Orr, but she is going to get pressure on the front in the All-Star Mile from Buffalo River, which will make her task harder. 

Jimmysstar 

He has not had many opportunities since joining Ciaron Maher, but connections have been lukewarm about his participation after his defeat in a Flemington Listed race where Craig Williams was criticised for the ride. Bare form a long was short but is fascinating.  

Desert Lightning 

The New Zealand runner won the first-ever Aotearoa Classic at Ellerslie to secure a spot in the contest. It is not easy to work out what that level of form is worth against the likes of Mr Brightside, with this looking like a proper test. 

The betting sites will watch with interest as the field grows over the next two and a half weeks until the race. It will be another superb renewal, and Mr Brightside is the favourite to go back-to-back in the $4 million contest.