Underwood Stakes Win Delivers a Clear Leader in NZB Spring WFA Championship

A dominant victory by Black Heart Bart (Blackfriars) in Saturday’s A$500,000 Group 1 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield was his second win in this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Spring Weight-For-Age Championship and gave him a clear lead in the Series.

The former Western Australian galloper’s win in last month’s Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) had already given him an equal share of the lead with Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) winner Miss Rose De Lago (Encosta De Lago) on 10 points apiece.

But now Black Heart Bart has raced away to a big lead, picking up another 10 points to move to 20 overall.

Ridden by Brad Rawiller for trainer Darren Weir, Black Heart Bart raced in third place behind a fast early pace set by The Cleaner (Savoire Vivre).

In the straight Black Heart Bart made his move, surging to the lead and holding on for a convincing win over He Or She (Kendel Star) and the fast-finishing Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel). The latter is New Zealand-bred and owned and was sold at Karaka for $60,000. She has won three Group 1 races, including the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and has earned more than A$4.2 million.

Black Heart Bart, meanwhile, is now the winner of 14 of his 34 starts and in excess of A$2.5 million in stakes. He is now likely to target the fourth and final leg of the Series, the A$600,000 Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) on October 8.

Saturday’s placegetters He Or She and Lucia Valentina picked up 8 and 6 points respectively, while points were awarded all the way back to eighth place. Miss Rose De Lago remains in second place on the leader board with 10 points.