Black Heart Bart Will Not Appear in All Aged Stakes
Darren Weir, Victoria’s foremost trainer, has opted not to take part in the Schweppes All Aged Stakes Group 1 race, set to take place over 1 400 metres on Saturday at Randwick with Black Heart Bart. He has stated that this is because of the possibility of having to battle another rain soaked track.
Weir has decided to freshen Black Heart Bart up instead, and is set to head over to Adelaide in order to give the horse a chance to properly defend his title in the Group 1, AU$1 million Darley Goodwood, which takes place on the 20th of May over 1 200 metres at Morphettville.
The Goodwood a Better Race
Weir informed racing.com that Black Heart Bart will most definitely not be taking place in the All Aged Stakes because of concerns over the condition of the track. He went on to state that the Darley Goodwood is just a better race for the horse to run.
Weir stated that Black Heart Bar will not have another run before he heads to Adelaide, and will simply have “a jump out in the lead-up”.
Rainy Weather Plaguing the Sydney Autumn Carnival
This year’s Sydney Autumn Carnival has been beset with heavy rains over the last 4 weeks, and the one at Randwick currently stands rated as a heavy 8 as of Tuesday morning, and more showers are predicted leading up to the weekend.
Black Heart Bart a Favourite
Black Heart Bart was one of 18 animals nominated to take part in the All Aged Stakes, and shares equal favourite status with Le Romain, trained by Kris Lees, at AU$4.20 at LadBrokes.com.au.
Black Heart Bart was taken to Adelaide in 2016 by Weir, after managing to finish a close second in the All Aged Stakes to English. The Black Friars gelding bagged the first of his 5 Group 1 trophies at the Darley Goodwood in Morphettville.
Since then, the 6-year old horse has gone on to win 2 Group 1 races at Caulfield during last year’s Melbourne Spring Carnival: the AU$500 000 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes, over 1 400 metres, and the AU$500 000 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes which extend over 1 800 metres.
The Melbourne Autumn Carnival of 2017 saw Black Heart Bart winning 2 more Group 1 races: the AU$500 000 Ladbrokes C. F. Orr Stakes, over 1 400 metres, and the AU$500 000 italktravel Futurity Stakes over 1 400 metres.
Black Heart Bart is currently enjoying a AU$3.20 favourite to win back-to-back Goodwoods, ahead of his stable mates Hellbent, at AU$8, and Voodoo Lad at AU$7.
The latter two horse are both nominated for All Aged Stakes and the AU$150 000 Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes 1 200 metre race at Randwick on Saturday.
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