Bart Back in Work for Spring Tilt

Posted on June 27, 2018 | Posted by Tim Walker

Star WA galloper Black Heart Bart is back in work ahead of another tilt at spring Group 1 success, with Darren Weir’s stable foreman Jarrod McLean boisterous about the veteran’s upcoming campaign.

Black Heart Bart last started in the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) where he was beaten five lengths by Pounamu, and was second in the Railway Stakes a fortnight earlier.

McLean said the stable had put a lot of extra time and care into bringing Black Heart Bart back into work this campaign.

“It’s been a slow build up to his return to galloping,” he told TABradio’s The Sports Daily.

“He’s an old man now so we have to look after him.

“Everything is good with him at the moment, his feet are in good, and he’s in great order, so hopefully he can get another Group 1 next spring.”

Black Heart Bart is expected to line up in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) in August, with the $1 million Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) in September also a likely target race.

McLean also said former Justin Warwick-trained mare Quilista was back in work following her prosperous autumn campaign, and was hopeful she would be able breakthrough for a maiden Group 1 success.

Meanwhile, Weir will be hoping another former WA galloper Tradesman can add another Listed race win to his successful Queensland winter campaign when he lines up in the Caloundra Cup (2400m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

Tradesman won the Ipswich Cup at Listed level on June 16, before running second to Divine Unicorn in the Group 3 Premier’s Cup at Doomben last Saturday.

McLean said while it wasn’t part of the original plan for Tradesman to run three weeks in a row, he was still confident the durable gelding would be right in the mix on Saturday.

“He’s had a great prep,” he said.

“It was a bit of an afterthought to run him on Saturday…he picked up nice prizemoney for that gallop.

“2400m at Caloundra is going to be ideal for him on Saturday.”

McLean also saddles up Trap For Fools over 1800m at Caulfield on Saturday, following his game sixth when first-up at Moonee Valley on June 16.

“Brad Rawiller galloped him on Monday and was really happy with him,” McLean said.

“He thought the way he galloped, he’s come on well and would be hard to beat.”