Black Heart Bart delivers as favorite in Memsie Stakes
Black Heart Bart confirmed his status as one of Australia’s top sprinters with a victory in Saturday’s $378,150 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield Racecourse against a field that included Prince of Penzance, the winner of the famous Melbourne Cup last November.
Prince of Penzance finished 11th of 12 in the seven-furlong race, a shorter distance than the marathons at which he excels.
The Memsie Stakes was the first Group 1 race of the 2016-17 Australian season.
Black Heart Bart, the even-money favorite, closed from fifth to finish 1 1/4 lengths in front of 16-1 Rising Romance. Ridden by Brad Rawiller for Darren Weir, Black Heart Bart is a 6-year-old gelding by the Danehill stallion Blackfriars.
Weir, who also trains Prince of Penzance, has approximately 200 horses in training.
Black Heart Bart won the Group 1 Goodwood Stakes at six furlongs at Morphettville in Australia in May. Even though Black Heart Bart has won two Group 1 sprints this year, he is a candidate for the $2,268,900 Cox Plate at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Oct. 22, Australia’s top weight-for-age race.