Deny Knowledge runs Mr Brightside into the ground in Group 1 Might And Power

Deny Knowledge did her best Pride Of Jenni impersonation to defeat Mr Brightside and connections have some thinking to do about backing her up in the Caulfield Cup.

Deny Knowledge led all the way for a dominant win in the Might And Power at Caulfield. Picture: Pat Scala/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Deny Knowledge has forced reigning Caulfield Cup winner Sam Freedman to consider a seven-day back-up into the spring major after an all-the-way Might And Power triumph on Saturday.

Deny Knowledge, rated to perfection by jockey Mark Zahra, who combined with Anthony and Sam Freedman last year to complete the Cups double on Without A Fight, denied Mr Brightside.

• What the jockeys said: 2024 Might And Power Stakes

Mr Brightside tried hard to chase down Deny Knowledge but could not bridge the gap enough.

Freedman said the Caulfield Cup on Saturday could be more suitable for Deny Knowledge compared to the Cox Plate in a fortnight.

“We may back-up next week if she pulls up well, maybe the frontrunner in the Caulfield Cup, yeah, why not?” Freedman said.

“Who knows, she’s relaxing well enough, she might have a crack at a Melbourne Cup.

“It looks like she may be getting tired on the line, but she’ll sustain that same gallop for a very long time.”

"Take a bow Mark Zahra!"

Deny Knowledge leads all the way in the Group 1 Might And Power! 😮@[e-mail]/5C0b092Zjz

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 12, 2024

Zahra executed the race plan to perfection, allowed Deny Knowledge to lead at her leisure and in doing so forced short-priced favourite Mr Brightside to chase a long way from home.

“That was the only chance,” Zahra said.

“She actually jumped well today and I was able to get there and she wasn’t overdoing it, she was just happy and I just wanted to have her … slowly pick up and pretty much flat out around the bend.

“Mr Brightside, he’s probably sick of chasing these tearaway front runners, but I thought around Caulfield he might be a bit susceptible over 2000 (metres).”

Deny Knowledge gave Mr Brightside too much ground to make up. Picture: Pat Scala/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Champion jockey Craig Williams lamented the defeat.

“Little bit disappointed with the result,” Williams said.

“We had a lovely run throughout, the winner did all the running.

“(Trainer) Ben Hayes said, ‘what can you say’? I said, ‘we weren’t good enough today, I was under pressure and the last 200 I was really under pressure for him’.

“Ben said, ‘what about the ground?’ and I said, ‘it’s the only excuse that I can come up with’.

“It’s a track that’s drying out … I think they’ve got some options with some headgear going forward as well. He still was gallant in defeat but it was not the Brightside that we know.”

Originally published as Deny Knowledge runs Mr Brightside into the ground in Group 1 Might And Power