Victoria’s leading trainer Darren Weir has selected his veteran sprinter Black Heart Bart as his best chance in the Group 1 $1m New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Trainer Darren Weir rates Black Heart Bart, above, as his best chance in the 2018 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Black Heart Bart was the winner of the 2016 Memsie Stakes and was runner up last year to this year’s favourite Vega Magic and Weir is leaning towards the eight year old as the best of his three runners.
“I think Bart would probably be my best chance, I think it will be just a bit too short for my other two runners,” Weir told racing.com.
“Bart has won the race before so I think he’d be our best each-way chance.”
Brad Rawiller will stick with Black Heart Bart who has drawn barrier four in the eleven horse Memsie Stakes field and Weir will also saddle up multiple Group 1 winner Humidor and Caulfield Cup favourite Kings Will Dream.
Humidor will jump from barrier three with Damian Lane in the saddle while Kings Will Dream has the outside gate with John Allen to ride.
Black Heart Bart has been out of the winner’s stall since claiming victory in the Group 1 $500,000 italktravel Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield during the 2017 Melbourne Autumn Carnival.
The multiple Group 1 winning galloper has had two runs back leading into the Memsie Stakes for a first up fourth to Vega Magic in the Group 3 $150,000 The Big Screen Company Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on July 28 followed by a ninth to Showtime in the Group 2 $200,000 Sir John Monash P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 18.
Racing Victoria Stewards reported that Black Heart Bart to be lame in the near hind leg after the P.B. Lawrence Stakes but Weir said the stable star had recovered from the slight setback and has worked strongly during the week.
“He’s great, he’s great, he galloped well at Ararat on Tuesday, really happy with him and I think he’ll run pretty well Saturday,” Weir said.
“He may be just one run short, so maybe the Makybe Diva might be a bit better race for him.”
Kings Will Dream and Humidor are also coming off a last start in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes, finishing fourth and eighth respectively.
Kings Will Dream caught the eye with a fast finishing fourth from back in the field while Humidor also made up some ground from the back to be beaten less than three lengths.
Pre-post betting for the Memsie Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au has Black Heart Bart at the juicy each way odds of $19 while Kings Will Dream is marked at $10 and Humidor is the longest priced Weir runner at $26.
The Lindsay Park trained Vega Magic is marked as the $2.70 favourite to score back to back wins in the Memsie Stakes ahead of the James Cummings trained Kementari at $4.40 and Doncaster Mile winner Happy Clapper at $5.50.
