An inside barrier draw is not ideal for Black Heart Bart in the Group 1 $500,000 Darley Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday according the trainer Darren Weir.
Black Heart Bart, above blue and yellow colours, has drawn barrier two in The Goodwood at Morphettville. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Black Heart Bart is a backmarker who settles back in the field and finds the line hard and Weir can see him getting caught up in a traffic jam in the nineteen horse field when he needs clear running in the straight.
The former West Australian trained sprinter has drawn barrier two in the near capacity field and Brad Rawiller will need plenty of luck to secure a trouble free run over the concluding stages.
“I guess to have everything ideal you probably would have rather drawn out with him because he is a horse that needs a bit of room. He is probably going to get back,” Weir told racing.com.
“Bit of a tricky draw but really happy with the order of the horse.”
Black Heart Bart is coming off a last start second to English in the Group 1 $600,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 16 and Weir has reported that he is in superb condition.
“He is in great shape,” Weir said.
“Had a good searching gallop on his own at Ararat on Monday morning and looked to worked really well. He is going in there in great shape.”
“I am happy with the way he has freshened up. Whether he wins or not I am not sure, but he will certainly run really well.”
Black Heart Bart has had three runs for the Weir stable and prior to running second in the All Aged Stakes, ran a gallant first up second to Goodwood rival The Quarterback in the Group 1 $1.25m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 12 followed by a win in the Group 3 $150,000 Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on March 26.
If Black Heart Bart comes through The Goodwood in fine order, Weir will turn his attention to the Brisbane Winter Carnival and set the five year old for the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11.
Weir considers the 1400m of the Stradbroke Handicap to be Black Heart Bart’s ideal distance.
“I think 1400m to a mile is ideal distance,’ Weir said.
“After he ran well in Sydney we decided to take this path to go to the Goodwood and then onto the Stradbroke.”
Black Heart Bart currently heads the market order for The Goodwood at $3.80 with Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of the Mick Kent trained Supido at $6 and Robert Smerdon’s consistent performer Under The Louvre at $7.50.
Weir will also saddle up $15 chance Sooboog who escaped the ballot for The Goodwood when he ran second to Faatinah in the Group 2 $250,000 UBET Stakes (Euclase Stakes) (1200m) at Morphettville on May 7.
Under the conditions for the Euclase Stakes for the three year olds, the first and second placegetters were exempt from the ballot for The Goodwood and the David Hayes and Tom Dabernig trained Faatinah will also take his place his The Goodwood field.
Sooboog has drawn barrier seven with Dean Yendall booked to ride and Weir is also happy with the progress of the three year old.
“He seems to be good too,” Weir said.
“He still has a bit to come yet, he still looks a bit burly. Obviously running second in the ballot exempt race it is worth having a crack at the Group 1.”
“He is drawn to get a good run, but he wouldn’t want to give them a start like he did the other day, so he needs to step away a bit better and if he gets the right run hopefully he can weigh in.”
“It’s a really good race, there are plenty of chances in the race.”
“Both my horses galloped really well on Monday morning. They are in the right sort of shape and they are just going to need luck.”
“The three year old needs to jump away and Black Bart needs luck from the inside draw.”
The Goodwood market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.80 Black Heart Bart, $6 Supido, $7.50 Under The Louvre, $12 Admiral, $14 The Quarterback, Sheidel, $15 Sooboog, $16 Super One, $17 Flamberge, $20 Fast ’N’ Rocking, $26 Churchill Dancer, Big Money, $31 Miss Promiscuity, $34 Faatinah, $41 Nostradamus, $51 Smokin’ Joey, $67 Daytona Grey, $81 Sirbible, $126 Cashed.
