Black Heart Bart Heads 2017 Futurity Stakes Nominations

Last start CF Orr Stakes winner Black Heart Bart headlines the early Futurity Stakes 2017 nominations for this weekend at Caulfield Racecourse.

CF Orr Stakes winner Black Heart Bart headlines the 2017 Futurity Stakes nominations for this weekend back over 1400m at Caulfield Racecourse. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Winx may be out in Sydney to steal the show in the Chipping Norton Stakes, but Melbourne’s racing action is also top class on Saturday for Blue Diamond Stakes Day.

Three elite levels highlight the card including the weight-for-age $500,000 Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m).

Futurity Stakes nominations have been extended until 10:00am (AEDT) on Tuesday after just seven early entries were taken by Racing Victoria on Monday.

Leading the current nominees is the Darren Weir-trained Blackfriars six-year-old Black Heart Bart looking for the CF Orr Stakes – Futurity Stakes double last achieved by Moment Of Change (2014).

Third-up the gun galloper should be in peak form dominating the Futurity Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au after the impressive CF Orr victory from a wide barrier (11 of 12) on February 11.

Weir chases his first Futurity Stakes success and has also nominated for Lucky Hussler, Palentino and Tosen Stardom.

Four-year-old Palentino is third-up having run fourth in both the Australia Stakes and CF Orr Stakes, while the former Japanese-trained Tosen Stardom who was runner-up in the Ranvet Stakes of 2015 runs first-up in just his second start for Weir.

“He’s in good shape but we’ll just have to see whether he can be sharp enough over that trip. But I’m happy with him,” Weir said of Tosen Stardom speaking to Racing Victoria.

In the CF Orr Stakes Black Heart Bart beat home Turn Me Loose by a length and the New Zealand-trained runner-up is also back in the rematch this weekend.

Last Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival the Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman-trained Turn Me Loose won the Futurity Stakes on the back of a first-up fourth in the CF Orr Stakes.

He brings similar formlines into his title defence this weekend looking to go back-to-back in the Futurity Stakes for the first time since Niconero (2008-09).

Also coming off a top three run in the traditional Futurity Stakes lead-up at the same track and distance a fortnight ago is the third-placed Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Ecuador.

The Lindsay Park-trained He’s Our Rokkii rounds out the Futurity Stakes nominations looking for his first win since the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) last October.

See below for the current Futurity Stakes 2017 nominations before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for all the weekend’s best racing odds and offers plus up to $500 in bonus match bets as a new depositing player when you quote the code BETBONUS (T&Cs apply / excluding NSW).

2017 Futurity Stakes Nominations

Caulfield Racecourse – 25/02/2017