Underwood Stakes Day Review

Alligator Blood wins the Group 1 Underwood Stakes

As the best races were to be run towards the late afternoon, I took my time getting to Caulfield, arriving just after 1.10 pm.

I watched, but did not photograph Race 3, the Pancare Recycle Plate, which was won by Cardigan Queen from Seradess and Le Danseuse Rouge.

The earlier races were not that interesting, but I got in some photography practice during the next few races.

Race 4 was the Here For The Horses Handicap for mares run over 1400 metres, which resulted in a win for the Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman runner Nunthorpe, who won easily from Frigid and Yellow Sam.

Nunthorpe on her way to the barriers

Oz Empress won Race 5, the Jim Moloney Stakes, with De Sonic Boom and Poifect filling the minor places.

Oz Empress leads to the finish ahead of De Sonic Boom and Poifect

Buffalo River was the victor in Race 6, the Testa Rossa, leading from the start to the finish to narrowly hold out challengers Savannah Cloud and Corner Pocket.

Buffalo River wins the Testa Rossa

The next race held considerably more interest, it being the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude, where Steparty, winner of all five of his starts won the bickies from Southport Tycoon and Scentify by a short margin.

Steparty (no 3) coming wide to overtake the leaders of the Guineas Prelude

Steparty about to hit the front as they race to the finish line

There was one more race before the feature Group 1 and this was the Group 3 MRC Foundation Cup (registered as the Naturalism Stakes), run over 2000 metres, where the winner earns a chance to run in the Caulfield Cup.

Uncle Bryn won the privilege from race favourite Floating Artist with Alaskan God running third.

Uncle Bryn on his way to winning the MRC Foundation Cup

The Group 1 Underwood Stakes is run over 1800 metres and has been won by top class horses, most memorably from my point of view by It’s A Dundeel ten years ago in 2013, where he defeated star mare Atlantic Jewel, the one and only time that she was beaten in a race.

This year’s edition had attracted a good field of stayers that included the likes of Vow And Declare who had  won the 2019 Melbourne Cup.

Alligator Blood was the warm favourite and he prevailed, winning by over length from Tuvalu with Duais running third.

Alligator Blood on his way to the barriers

It was a bright sunny day last Saturday, perfect for an afternoon at the races.

Caulfield Racecourse is going through some kind of upgrade, so several areas that were accessible in the past were off limits, but surprisingly it was relatively easy to get a position on the fence to take photos.

Let’s hope that by the time the Caulfield Cup is run the renovations will be less obstructive and more areas will be open.

The main race meeting next week is on Friday night at Moonee Valley with the Group 1 Moir Stakes being the feature event, starring New Zealand mare Imperatriz, so next Saturday I will be watching the racing action at home for a change.