Favourite Black Heart Bart has recovered from troublesome feet problems and is ready to claim another Group 1 trophy in the $1m Magic Millions-Kingston Town Classic (1800m) at Ascot in Perth on Saturday.
Black Heart Bart, above, will strip fit and well in the Kingston Town Classic at Ascot. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Trainer Darren Weir admitted that the stable had to nurse Black Heart Bart through the Melbourne Spring Carnival where he was winless, but is confident that the five times Group 1 winner will step out on Saturday in top shape.
“I think the horse is going great,” Weir told RSN927.
“The horse is a very sound, tough horse but he was just having a bit of feet issues and we just were having of trouble keeping them right.
“It was just concussion, really. We just weren’t able to get him into that heavier sand where there’s absolutely no concussion on their feet, really.
“After his last run in the spring he went straight up to Maldon and had five or six weeks up there in the deep sand and he just got sounder and sounder each week. By the time he came over here (WA) he we was trotting out fantastic.
“So I think he’s back going pretty good again.”
Black Heart Bart had raced consistently over the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival without finding the winner’s stall before heading to the West for a Summer Carnival campaign.
The Blackfriars seven year old was placed twice at Group 1 level from four Spring Carnival starts with a second to Vega Magic in the Group 1 $1m New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 2 followed by a third to stablemate Humidor in the Group 1 $750,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 16.
Black Heart Bart missed a place at his next start when fifth to Bonneval in the Group 1 $750,000 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on October 1 and then Weir sent him up to his farm at Maldon to test out the new sand track that had been recently constructed.
Black Heart Bart failed by a nose to run down Perth galloper Great Shot when second in the Group 1 $1m James Boag’s Premium Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on November 25 and has been installed as the $3.50 for the Kingston Town Classic at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Early betting for the 2017 Kingston Town Classic at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.50 Black Heart Bart, $4.80 It’s Somewhat, $5.50 Perfect Jewel, $8.50 Tom Melbourne, $11 Achernar’s Star, Life Less Ordinary, $17 All Our Roads, $21 Material Man, Great Shot, Pounamu, $34 Money Maher, $41 Royal Star, $51 Silverstream, Gatting, $101 Cosmic Storm.