Hart primed for Alexandra Park this Friday night

By Adam Hamilton 

Superstar Aussie driver Cam Hart is already itching to get back to Auckland.

He left Alexandra Park pleased but wondering what might have been after finishing third on champion stayer Swayzee in last Friday night’s Group 1 Taylor Mile.

And he can’t wait to have another crack over a more suitable 2200m in this Friday’s $100,000 Group 1 Roy Purdon Memorial. Let alone the perfect 2700m of the Group 1 Messenger a week after that.

“You couldn’t ask for a bigger run than that last Friday,” Hart said. “It’s no secret the sprint race to start his Auckland runs was going to be the hardest for him.

“He drew wide and the mile racing is so tricky over there because the first bend comes up so quickly.

“He never stopped working and was still so strong late. It was a huge run and getting out to 2200m this week is more in his wheelhouse.

Swayzee has drawn the outside of the front line at seven and opened a $2.35 co-favourite along with Got The Chocolates, who has drawn one.

There will be four Group 1s with the Roy Purdon, the IRT NZ Sires' Stakes 3YO Trotters Championship Mobile Trot, the Pascoes the Jewellers Northern Oaks and the Woodlands Stud Northern Derby. 

To see Auckland's fields click here

Friday night kick-starts another huge Group 1 weekend for 27-year-old Hart.

He will be on an early flight Saturday morning to drive at the huge Menangle Group 1 meeting in Sydney that night.

His Menangle headline act is wonder mare Captains Mistress. The former Kiwi mare will dominate betting in Australia’s premier mares’ race, the $200,000 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Mile.

Hart drove the two Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin-trained NSW Oaks heat winners – Willows Girl and Arrhythmia - last Saturday night and will be aboard one of them, most likely Arrhythmia, in the $150,000 Group 1 final this week.

Captains Mistress was stunning winning her first six starts for Hart and Menangle trainer Jason Grimson, including two at Group 1 level, before a luckless fifth when badly held up for a run in the $1 million Miracle Mile on March 14.

“She’s something else,” Hart said. “I’ve before, she’s the fastest and most exciting horse I’ve driven.”

“Even though there’s some nice mares in this race, especially Eye Keep Smiling, I think she (Captains Mistress) is a class above them.

“I’m not worried about her being first-up. Jase (Grimson) has her ready. She had a trial last week and I drove her in work this morning (Monday) and she felt at least as good as ever.”

Hart said he would wait for the barrier draw and talks with Stewart and Tonkin before landing on his Oaks drive.

“They’re both lovely fillies. Arrhythmia might be slightly stronger and won so well, but Willows Girl is flying at the moment,” he said.