Black Heart Bart continues Caulfield domination in C.F. Orr
CAULFIELD can be a horses-for-courses track and there’s no horse that loves the Victorian track more than Black Heart Bart.
The top quality six-year-old made it four wins from five starts at Caulfield on Saturday when winning the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes as the +210 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au.
With Brad Rawiller in the saddle, Black Heart Bart sat three-wide throughout before unleashing in the straight for an impressive victory over Turn Me Loose and Ecuador, which both produced great efforts to place at group one level.
The occasion, however, was all about 15-win gelding Black Heart Bart which added to its Group 1 Underwood Stakes which it won at Caulfield in September.
“The 1400m and Caulfield…he’s made it his own,” Rawiller said. “To be fair, he was always going to be better off after that first up run at Moonee Valley.
“Gee he was good, just look at his sectionals.”
Black Heart Bart had the task of chasing down second favourite Malaguerra, but the last start winner had nothing to show in the straight.
“Malaguerra is no slouch, but it was always going to be a different day today,” Rawiller said. “You have no idea how much I love this horse.”
Rawiller commented on his relationship with winning trainer Darren Weir, who gives Rawiller a significant amount of rides in Victoria.
“Darren’s been fantastic to me, fantastic for so many people. He’s such a great trainer, but a great man as well,” Rawiller said.
“It’s fantastic when you’re on a group one horse like this.”
Darren Weir credited the owners for allowing him to train the former Perth-based Black Heart Bart.
“He’s a beauty isn’t he? What a horse to have in your stable. I’m so glad the owners chose us to train him when they came over here,” Weir said.
“He’s bomb proof, a great racehorse and he got a great ride from Brad today.”
Weir also thanked Brad Rawiller for the ride and mentioned that he has been down on confidence over the last month.
“We were happy with him today, it was just the barrier draw that was the problem, but Brad overcame that and got him into a three-wide line which is perfect for him,” Weir said.
“We’ve been paired up for quite a long time – the last month Brad’s been down in the dumps, but I reckon this will pick him back up and get him back to the old Brad Rawiller we know around the stables.”
The $500,000 Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield is next on the agenda for Black Heart Bart.
“He’ll head to the group one in two weeks,” Weir said. “It’s only racing that will improve him now.”