Black Heart Bart heads Weir’s C.F. Orr Stakes nominations

Mutiple Group 1 winner Black Heart Bart is one of four horses trainer Darren Weir has nominated for the Group 1 $500,000 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Black Heart Bart, above, is among the nominations for the Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Black Heart Bart, above, is among the nominations for the Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Weir’s other Group 1 winners Lucky Hussler and Palentino as well as Japanese import Tosen Stardom are among the seventeen nominations for the Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes.

Black Heart Bart and Palentino have both had one run back from a spell for a second and a fourth to Malaguerra in the Group 2 $200,000 Browns Sawdust And Savings Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on January 27.

The Peter Gelagotis trained Malaguerra resumed for the Autumn in great style and after racing just off the pace strode away in the straight to record a two lengths victory in the Australia Stakes.

The Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig has nominated Toorak Handicap winner He’s Our Rokkii and the in-form Grande Rosso who has worked his way up through the grades with three wins from his last four starts.

He’s Our Rokkii collected his first Group 1 trophy with a win in the Group 1 $500,000 IG Markets Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield during the 2016 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and was sent for a spell after running tenth at his next start to Le Romain in the Group 1 $1m Cantala Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on October 29.

He’s Our Rokkii is also nominated for the Group 2 $250,000 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday as is the Team Hawkes trained Caulfield Guineas winner Divine Prophet.

The Leon and Troy Corstens trained Awesome Rock has been entered for the Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes and will be having his first run back since winning the Group 1 $2m Emirates Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 5, the last day of the 2016 four day Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Cranbourne trainer Mick Kent has nominated his unbeaten mare Abbey Marie who is a winner of her only three starts and will be stepping out for the first time in the Ladbrokes C.F. Stakes since winning the Group 1 $400,000 Schweppes Oaks (registered as Australasian Oaks) (2000m) at Morphettville on May 7.

2016 Caulfield Cup winner Jameka is among the nominations for the Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes along with the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trainer Ecuador and Danny O’Brien’s smart mare Miss Rose De Lago.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.