Saturday's $500,000 Group I Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield boasted a quality field but Black Heart Bart saw them all off with the minimum of fuss, setting up a mouth-watering clash with the champion Winx in the Caulfield Guineas.
A Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner, a Melbourne Cup winner, an Australian Derby winner, a South Australia Derby winner, and a Victoria Derby and Rosehill Guineas winner were all left in the wake of the former WA star.
Given a gun ride by Brad Rawiller, Black Heart Bart gave nothing else a chance. It was an easy watch for the favourite's supporters as the son of Blackfriars steamrolled his way to a two and a half-length win over He Or She with Lucia Valentina doing her best work late, a half-head away in third. (photo Grant Courtney)
The Darren Weir-trained gelding has not finished further back than second in his last nine starts. He captured the Group 1 Memsie Stakes on his seasonal debut before a gallant to stablemate
"It was good to see him run through the line like that," Weir said.
"I never had any doubts about the 1800 (metres). I thought he ran really well the other day, he was just beaten by a better horse on the day."
"He's come on a long way since then and he ran away from them late. "So we'll head to the Caulfield Stakes now and see what happens after that I guess."
"With no disrespect to that opposition, the opposition now will get stronger as you head toward the Cox Plate."
"That will have him right where we want him now. It will tighten him now and there won't be much to come after the Caulfield Stakes but I guess you don't need to".
A $20,000 purchase for part owner Kim Renner at the 2012 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale from the draft of Lakeside Thoroughbreds, Black Heart Bart advances his overall record to 14 wins, 10 seconds and 2 thirds from 34 starts with earnings of $2,672,950
He is the ninth and final
A 6-time winner in Brisbane, Sister Theresa is a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Savannah Success (Success Express) the dam of Group 1 WS Cox Plate winner and top sire Savabeel.
Sister Theresa's daughter Rebel Sister (Falbrav) is the dam of 3-time Listed stakes-winner
VRC Derby winner Blackfriars (Danehill) is currently working his way through his sixteenth book of mares at Scenic Lodge where his service fee has been set at $13,200.
