Last year’s winning horseman Darren Weir has a total of four Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes 2018 nominees for the first Group 1 race of the season this Saturday at Caulfield Racecourse.

Reigning champ Black Heart Bart is one of four Darren Weir-trained CF Orr Stakes 2018 nominations for Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Melbourne Festival of Racing gets underway officially with the running of the Group 1 $500,000 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) on the weekend and a bumper 19 early entries are nominated for the weight-for-age clash.

Last year Weir won the C.F. Orr Stakes with Black Heart Bart, the now seven-year-old son of Blackfriars among the four-horse contingent for the stable 12 months on.

Black Heart Bart went on to also win the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at the track a fortnight after his CF Orr success, but hasn’t saluted since.

All-in CF Orr Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au list the $3.9 million earner as the equal $5.50 second favourite to go back-to-back in the race for the first time since Typhoon Tracy (2010-11).

The other $5.50 shot for Weir in the race is returning Emirates Stakes winner Tosen Stardom, the star Japanese import after a third Group 1 win down under.

The Deep Impact entire also won the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) in Melbourne over the spring and is a genuine weight-for-age performer.

Weir’s other entries are Teofilo five-year-old Humidor, the Cox Plate runner-up last seen bombing out over the two miles when 19^th in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), and another former Japanese galloper Brave Smash.

Brave Smash kicked off his autumn with a fifth behind Thronum at The Valley in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) on January 26 and is currently rated a $13 shot to break his Group 1 maiden in Australia second-up.

Leading the pre-field Ladbrokes CF Orr Stakes odds at $4.80 meanwhile is the returning James Cummings-trained Godolphin star Hartnell.

The 2018 Australian Cup-bound Hartnell ran a disappointing 20^th in the Melbourne Cup results last spring, but trialled well ahead of his first-up autumn run when second in a 1000m hit-out behind Testashadow at Warwick Farm on February 1.

Australia Stakes winner Thronum is another key CF Orr Stakes nominee, the Lindsay Park-trained Snitzel four-year-old chasing his sixth win at career start number 11.

Black Heart Bart improved on a lead-up second in the Australia Stakes to win last year’s CF Orr Stakes, while the double Thronum is vying for was last completed by superstar mare Black Caviar (2012).

Lindsay Park head trainer David Hayes is after his first CF Orr win since Planet Ruler back in 1991 and has also nominated for Naturalism Stakes winner Harlem.

Other standout nominees include lightly-raced Pierro colt Levendi whose last run on VRC Derby Day produced a Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes win over the mile, Mick Price’s returning Caulfield Guineas winner Mighty Boss and the Anthony Freedman-trained Australia Stakes runner-up Mr Sneaky.

Check out the official Ladbrokes C.F. Orr 2018 nominations below, the final field and updated odds at Ladbrokes.com.au due out on Wednesday.

2018 C.F. Orr Stakes Nominations

Caulfield Racecourse – 10/02/2018