Black Heart Bart became the first horse to win two group 1 races this season with a dominant victory in the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. He will head towards the Cox Plate where he will take on Winx after beating He Or She with Lucia Valentina running on late into third.
"Bring it on, I can't wait," Brad Rawiller said as he summed up the Darren Weir-trained gelding's impressive win.
Rawiller is not the only rider who thinks the former WA star could give Winx the sort of battle she hasn't had in a long time.
Champion Craig Williams rode the runner up, and said afterwards: "The winner was awesome today. They went a real good horses gallop. The winner sprinted, my horse stayed on for a good second."
"Can he take on Winx ?" Williams was asked. "He can, I tell you what, that was such a good test, they went that fast, and it accelerated where other horses would be one paced. That horse has a sense of timing about him."
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Toorak target
Tim Martin has Moral Victory in career-best form and he made it two wins from as many starts this campaign in the Shannon Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday. But instead of backing-up in the Epsom, Martin will wait for next month's Toorak Handicap at Caulfield to chase a group 1. "He has never gone better, his target is the Toorak and with his win last start and today he is well and truly on song," Martin said. "I just want to thank Mark Warlters. He and I bred the horse and it has been a tough road with the breeding and it's nice to get a good win. Martin will have Heavens Above in the Epsom after she finished midfield in the Golden Pendant. "They went too steady for her and she went well and I think a mile at Randwick will be perfect for her next week," Martin said.
Velly tough
Rory Hutchings praised the toughness of Veladero after he held off all challengers in a blanket finish to the Gloaming Stakes. "He got to the front and was just tough," Hutchings said. "He was out on his feet at the 100-metre mark and I thought he was beaten but he struck out his neck and wanted to win. I think the extra trip in the Spring Champions Stakes will help him," he said. Prized Icon, which got third place on protest, only got clear late, while Swear and runner-up Honeywine look to have improvement in them.
Delicious odds
Randwick trainer Les Bridge couldn't understand why Zenalicious was a $20 chance in the Reginald Allen Quality and he was right. "I know she should have been closer to Invincibella in the betting because she was good last time. She is a good filly and I knew she would be better at this trip," Bridge said. Zenalicious charged past Invincibella to score, leaving Bridge looking for what's next for the Choisir filly. "I think she is going to be better at the mile," he said, suggesting she could back-up in the Flight Stakes. "She has always been a good filly from the time I got her and she showed that [today."
Metropolitan push
Owner Tony Muollo wants to run Antonio Giuseppe in next week's Metropolitan and has been trying for weeks to convince good mate and trainer Chris Waller. The son of Shocking scored his fourth win on end at Rosehill on Saturday and is on the thirdline of betting for the 2400m group 1. "Maybe that [win] will convince him," Muollo said. Waller is always careful to go through every grade with his his horses but a stayer on the rise in good form with no weight might break the mould. Koby Jennings rated him perfectly in front and he raced to a 2-3/4 lengths win. "I haven't been on a horse like him for a while. He was too strong and wasn't going to stop," Jennings said. The apprentice made it a double when he won on Distinctive Look in the Highway Handicap.
