Premier trainer Darren Weir will be double-handed for the Melbourne spring carnival with Scenic Lodge champion Blackfriars.
Weir has set WA Horse of the Year Black Heart Bart for the G1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on August 26 and new stablemate Chocolate Holic will start first-up in the G3 Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield this Saturday.
“Obviously, I just couldn’t compare the two but Chocolate Holic is a really nice horse,” Weir said on Tuesday. “The Monash is likely to be a bit sharp before he goes to Caulfield for the Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) in a fortnight and the Lawrence Stakes (1400m) three weeks later.”
Chocolate Holic won his 7th race in 11 starts when partnered by Damien Oliver in the Listed WA Carbine Club Stakes (1400m) at Ascot during the last summer carnival.
Owner-trainers Grant & Alana Williams (pictured) brought him back into work for a close second to Group 1 star Scales of Justice in a Lark Hill trial before the transfer to Victoria. They bred him by using Blackfriars over NSW import World Famous (Geiger Counter) who is related to stakes winners Adraanito (G2 Queen of the South Stakes) & William’s Ghost (LR Towton Cup).
The Karnup couple sold World Famous to Dandaragan breeder Dan Rieusset but kept her 2009 mare Chocolate Moon (Cape North). She foaled a Blackfriars filly last September and is due to him again next month.
Blackfriars will turn 21 on August 1 while Scenic Lodge celebrates a 7th WA title in succession. And he will give them something to chase in 2017-18 after Weir’s stablemates get cracking at Caulfield in August.
The Scenic Lodge line-up is headed by Blackfriars at a $12,000 fee alongside Snippetson ($6,000), Universal Ruler ($3,500) & Dash For Cash ($2,500). All fees (plus gst).
Fees are subject to discount structures for early confirmed bookings. For further details, contact Jeremy Smith on 0419 943 356 or sceniclodgestud@bigpond.com