Alligator Blood vaults into Underwood Stakes favouritism

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.	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