CF Orr Stakes – An Early Look – Racing.com

Brad Rawiller and Black Heart Bart (Image: Racing Photos)

Several weeks ago, you might have got a funny look if you suggested the Apollo Stakes would attract a bigger field than the other 1400-metre weight-for-age race to be run this Saturday, the C.F. Orr Stakes.

The Group 2 Apollo, which will be run at Randwick in Sydney, heralds the return of the seemingly invincible Winx, while the Orr is the first Group 1 of the calendar year in Melbourne, where the talent pool is generally more evenly spread.

Yet, connections of 13 runners have put their hand up for a crack at Winx with a field of 12 to go around in the Orr.

There's little doubt, however, about which shapes as the more competitive contest.

Just under an hour after Winx resumes in the Apollo at 3:10pm, where she is the $1.18 favourite to make it 14 wins in a row, a crack field will go around in the Orr (4:05pm).

Nine of the 12 Orr Stakes runners have won at Group 1 level and the three that haven't aren't exactly making up the numbers.

Arod won the Group 2 Summer Mile at Ascot before coming to Australia, where he is now trained by Chris Waller and Ecuador (Waterhouse/Bott) is two-from-two this campaign and boasts a 2.3-length second to Winx in an Epsom Handicap, while Miss Rose De Lago (Danny O'Brien) is a dual Group 2 winner, including a first-up win last campaign in the Lawrence Stakes over the Orr Stakes course.

Of the Group 1 winners, seven are winners at the highest level at 1600m or below.

Black Heart Bart, who will carry the No 1 saddlecloth, has developed into one of the country's most consistent gallopers and his two starts over 1400m at Caulfield have produced wins in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes and Group 3 Easter Cup.

He will renew hostilities with dual Group 1 winner Malaguerra, who had his measure in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.

They both drew wide when the barrier draw was conducted on Wednesday morning with Black Hart Bart, who will be ridden by Brad Rawiller, to start from gate 11 and Malaguerra (Ben Melham) alley 12.

Palentino (fourth) and Turn Me Loose (seventh), who finished fourth in last year's Orr when a $3.80 favourite, are the other Orr Stakes runners who contested the Australia Stakes. They drew barriers seven and two respectively.

Lucky Hussler (barrier four) is another runner engaged this year who contested last year's Orr and connections will be hoping for more luck than 12 months ago, when a luckless second behind Suavito.

The Hawkes stable is looking to win another Orr with a Caulfield Guineas winner resuming from a spell, as they did with All Too Hard in 2013, and Divine Prophet's quest for victory will be carried out from gate six.

Divine Prophet will be ridden by Dwayne Dunn, which has presented Regan Bayliss with an opportunity in the first Group 1 race to be run since he became a senior rider.

He has been gifted the mount aboard Toorak Handicap winner He's Our Rokkii, who drew barrier nine.

The depth of quality among the sprinter/milers in this year's Orr provide for stiff competition for Caulfield Cup heroine Jameka (10), who will be ridden for the first time by Luke Nolen with Nick Hall injured, and Emirates Stakes victor Awesome Rock (three), who both launch Australian Cup campaigns.

The Orr Stakes is a highlight of a super Caulfield card that also features a pair of Blue Diamond Preludes for the two-year-olds and the reappearance of Australia's premier sprinter, Chautauqua.

The five-time Group 1 winner resumes in the $200,000 Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m), a race he won two years ago, but has to carry 59.5kg against talented types including Group 1 winner I Am A Star (53.5kg), leading Oakleigh Plate fancy Hellbent (56kg), the speedy Wild Rain (55.5kg) and a rejuvenated El Divino (54kg).

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CF Orr Stakes - An Early Look - Racing.com