Journalists Wandering Eyes Posted September 20, 2023 Journalists Share Posted September 20, 2023 Alligator Blood, ridden by Blake Shinn, wins the Futurity Stakes at Sandown Racecourse on February 25, 2023. (Picture: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos) The Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) has attracted an outstanding 16-horse field for Saturday’s $750,000 feature at Caulfield. The Underwood Stakes is usually considered a precursor to many of the key races during the Melbourne Cup Carnival, including the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) and Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m). Pre-barrier draw, Without A Fight held clear favouritism with online bookmakers; however, it’s now the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Alligator Blood holding the call at +250 after his second-place finish behind Mr Brightside in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) last weekend. Without A Fight is still hot on his heels at +400 as he makes his return after demolishing his opposition in The Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm on June 10. The Q22 – Without A Fight – T: Anthony & Sam Freedman Two of the leading chances come through the Group 3 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley with Attrition (+700) and Tuvalu (+800) looking to rectify their minor placings. The Chris Waller-trained stayer Soulcombe (+900) is the only last-start winner heading into the weekend, having taken out the Listed Heatherlie Handicap (1700m) in stylish fashion, while Lindermann (+1200) makes the trip south from Sydney after holding ground in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick last time out. Two more fascinating runners make their way from NSW, with multiple Group 1 winners Mo’unga (+3300) and Duais (+1800) needing to make bold improvement getting to the 1800m for the first time in the campaign. Many of the gallopers engaged here will be using this as a prep run for later in the spring. This includes the 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare (+12500) making his return to the track, while Lunar Flare (+4000) has already booked her ticket for the first Tuesday in November. The 2023 Underwood Stakes is the penultimate race on the Caulfield card this Saturday and is scheduled for 4:55pm AEST. Underwood Stakes 2023 field No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Vow And Declare Danny O’Brien Billy Egan 4 59kg 2 Alligator Blood Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Damien Oliver 8 59kg 3 Mo’unga Annabel Neasham Jamie Mott 17 59kg 4 Nonconformist Grahame Begg Harry Coffey 6 59kg 5 Tuvalu Lindsey Smith Jamie Kah 13 59kg 6 Smokin’ Romans Ciaron Maher & David Eustace John Allen 14 59kg 7 Alenquer Mike Moroney Declan Bates 10 59kg 8 Without A Fight Anthony & Sam Freedman Mark Zahra 11 59kg 9 Right You Are Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Ben Allen 2 59kg 10 Soulcombe Chris Waller Blake Shinn 5 59kg 11 Duke De Sessa Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Ethan Brown 16 59kg 12 Bank Maur Richard Laming Jye McNeil 1 58kg 13 Lindermann Chris Waller Hugh Bowman 3 58kg 14 Attrition Mitchell Freedman Ben Melham 15 58kg 15 Duais Edward Cummings Craig Williams 7 57kg 16 Lunar Flare Grahame Begg Michael Dee 12 57kg 17 Alaskan God (1E) Daniel Morton TBC 9 59kg More horse racing news View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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