Saturday's G1 Memsie S. at Caulfield, Australia's season-opening Group 1, boasts a plethora of Group 1 talent with a pair of Derby and Guineas winners, an Oaks winner and a Melbourne Cup winner in the lineup. With some of those likely to be building up to their best efforts later in the season, however, the door could be open for Black Heart Bart (Aus) (Blackfriars {Aus}) to add another Group 1 to his resume. The ultra-consistent 6-year-old gelding, on the board in 23 of 31 starts, just missed in the G1 Newmarket H. first-up last prep before going on to finish second in the G1 All Aged S. over this trip and winning Morphettville's 1200-metre G1 Goodwood H. Black Heart Bart is favoured at 7-4.
Last season's G1 Australian Guineas winner Palentino (Aus) (Teofilo {Ire}) prepped for this with a fourth in the Regal Roller S. over 1200 metres at Caulfield Aug. 13.Palentino generally improves for a run so is a deserved joint 6-1 second choice with Mahuta (Aus) (Flying Spur {Aus}). That Darren Weir trainee became a talking horse last season after notching six straight wins from maiden to Group 2 company, but he beat just one home in the Australian Guineas before finishing third behind Lord Of The Sky (Aus) (Danerich {Aus}) back down to 1200 metres in the G3 Bletchingly S. July 30. He was sixth in the course and distance G2 PB Lawrence S. Aug. 13. Mahuta will be joined in the lineup by stablemate and Melbourne Cup winner Prince Of Penzance (NZ) (Pentire {GB}), who will be looking for further but ran second over a mile in his lone autumn outing, the G3 RA Lee S. May 21.
The Derby-winning pair of Tarzino (NZ) and Tavago (NZ), both by Tavistock (NZ), will have their sights set on loftier targets down the road, but both are capable of running big first-up. Likely in the same situation is last season's G1 Australian Oaks winner Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi {GB}), although she is three-for-four first-up.
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