Weir won’t give up on Bart taking Cox Plate

COX PLATE ALTHOUGH Black Heart Bart had his colours lowered by Winx in the Caulfield Stakes, his trainer Darren Weir is not conceding that will happen in tomorrow’s Cox Plate.

In the three-horse field in the Caulfield Stakes, Black Heart Bart led with Winx stalking him throughout and putting the pressure on him from the 600m mark.

It was only in the last 200m Winx got away from him.

Black Heart Bart finished two lengths from Winx, with He Or She four lengths away in third.

“You saw the race. It set up perfectly for Winx with us in front,” Weir said.

“It will be a different race with more horses and tactically it will also be different.

“I know it’s going to be tough and it’s a great race but strange things happen in races.”

Weir is pleased the consistent former West Australian horse is running in the Cox Plate.

“He’s a good consistent horse who deserves his chance,” he said.

Black Heart Bart, a $21 chance with UBET, is the only Victorian-trained galloper in the field of 10. Since joining Weir’s stables, Black Heart Bart has had nine starts for four wins and five seconds.

Weir watched Black Heart Bart and his Manikato Stakes contender Lucky Hussler work at Warrnambool last Tuesday.

“They both worked really well,” he said.

Weir said Lucky Hussler worked with Kenjorwood and the gallop was impressive.