The G2 Australian S. at Moonee Valley on Friday is shaping up to be an informative affair with three high profile members of Darren Weir's powerful squad slated to make an appearance. Black Heart Bart (Aus) (Blackfriars {Aus}), Palentino (Aus) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Flamberge (Aus) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) are all intended starters in the 1200m contest ahead of a return to Group 1 company soon after. The trio can boast eight Group 1 victories between them and assuming all goes well on Friday, both Back Heart Bart and Palentino will step up a furlong for their next assignments at Caulfield in February.
“They're great. They both trialled on Tuesday at Camperdown and went terrific,” Weir told Racing And Sports. “Black Heart Bart and Palentino will go to the [G1] C F Orr S. and the [G1] Futurity S. and then we'll work it out from there.”
Black Heart Bart was tremendously consistent throughout 2016 only finishing out of the first two once in 10 starts. Those 10 starts yielded three Group 1 victories and his only below-par effort was on his final start of the campaign when he finished in rear behind Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) in the G1 William Hill Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in October.
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