| What | Underwood Stakes Day 2023 |
| Where | Caulfield Racecourse – 22 Station St, Caulfield East VIC 3145 |
| When | Saturday, September 23, 2023 |
| First Race | 12:10pm AEST |
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Caulfield Racecourse is scheduled to host a stacked 10-race program for Underwood Stakes Day on Saturday afternoon. The Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) headlines proceedings with a capacity field accepted, while the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) and Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) are more than suitable co-features on the day. With the rail coming out 6m and the track rated a Good 4, perfect conditions await. A Group 1 day of racing commences at 12:10pm AEST.
Keep reading for our free race-by-race preview and quaddie selections
Race 1: BM70 Handicap (1600m)
The Alex Rae-trained Shock ‘Em Ova looks to have found quite the winnable race and can break a run of runner-up performances. The five-year-old gelding has finished second at his last three starts, but his return at Sandown on August 30 suggested a win is near. Having travelled three wide with no cover the son of Shocking had the audacity to run on strongly and went down by a long neck. From barrier nine, as long as Craig Williams can find cover midfield, Shock ‘Em Ova should be getting favourite punters off to a winning start.
3
SHOCK ‘EM OVA
1
ALWAYS HAPI
2
POLANCO
5
BIG BREW
Race 2:BM78 Handicap (2000m)
Wahine Toa may not have broken through during a short winter campaign, but two of his three runs in that prep would be more than good enough to salute in a race like this. Having gone down by a nostril to Shaiyhar at Flemington, before going on to run second to Outlandos at Randwick, the seven-year-old mare brings strong enough form lines. With Carleen Hefel on board claiming 1.5kg, the Dalakhani mare gets in perfectly at the weights with just 57kg on her back. Look for Hefel to slot in midfield from barrier eight and if she can do that, Wahine Toa can return a winner in BM78 grade.
- 8
WAHINE TOA
9
CHANDON BURJ
2
FIRST IMMORTAL
1
FULL OF SINCERITY
Race 3: Mares Plate (1200m)
Red Card is a deserving favourite, but at -142.86 we’re happy to take her on. Seradess steps back dramatically in grade having competed in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m) and we think she can cause somewhat of an upset on Saturday. The five-year-old mare was always going to struggle against the likes of Imperatriz and Giga Kick over the 1000m scamper and the step up to 1200m looks ideal. Despite not finishing in the top three in four goes at Caulfield, Seradess brings an element of class to a race like this. With just 55kg on her back, Seradess can pinch a break on the favourite from a forward position and with a bit of luck she will not be collared late.
9
SERADESS
1
RED CARD
4
BELLE ET RICHE
3
LA DANSEUSE ROUGE
Race 4: Mares BM84 Handicap (1400m)
One of our better bets of the day Our Red Morning returns to Caulfield after easily disposing of BM70 rivals at Sandown on August 30. The four-year-old mare from the Greg Eurell barn has now won three races in a row and looks well-placed to bring up a fourth straight success. She won at the Caulfield 1400m two starts back, so we know she will handle the occasion. She draws perfectly in barrier five under Craig Williams and as long as she strikes no traffic issues in running, Our Red Morning looks to be a class above this lot.
8
OUR RED MORNING
11
YELLOW SAM
2
FRIGID
4
NUNTHORPE
Next Best
Race 4 – #8 Our Red Morning (5)
4yo Mare | T: Greg Eurell | J: Craig Williams (55.5kg)
+180 with Dabble
Race 5: Listed Jim Moloney Stakes (1400m)
The Listed Jim Moloney Stakes is the first of the black-type events on Saturday and at a nice each-way price, we are happy to side with De Sonic Boom. The Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained filly has chased home the smart Charm Stone in her last two runs and looks to have found a somewhat easier assignment on Saturday. This will be her first look at the 1400m, but everything she has done so far in career and in this campaign alone, the step up in trip looks to be of no concern. She has a blistering turn of foot and if De Sonic Boom is within striking distance of the leaders on the home turn, she should take a power of beating.
2
DE SONIC BOOM
6
MIRACLE OF LOVE
9
OZ EMPRESS
15
POIFECT
Best Value
Race 5 – #2 De Sonic Boom (10)
3yo Filly | T: Anthony & Sam Freedman | J: Daniel Moor (58.5kg)
+900 with Neds
Race 6: Listed Testa Rossa Stakes (1400m)
Our best bet of the day comes in the Listed Testa Rossa Stakes as Amenable drops back to Listed company after an eye-catching run in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m). The four-year-old son of Lonhro produced some of the best closing sectionals of the day in the Memsie and with the drop back in grade against a bunch of non-winners looks to be the recipe to further success. His win first-up at the Caulfield 1400m came in a strong form race, with five horses coming out and winning since. If Amenable is anywhere near his best, this field will not get near him.
10
AMENABLE
8
HERE TO SHOCK
5
CORNER POCKET
1
BANDERSNATCH
Best Bet
Race 6 – #10 Amenable (10)
4yo Horse | T: Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | J: Mark Zahra (57kg)
+100 with PendleburyBet
Race 7: Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m)
The Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude opens the quaddie and looks to be a match race between Veight and Steparty. We have sided with the undefeated Steparty following a soft victory first-up from a spell at Moonee Valley in the Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m). The son of Artie Schiller will have his first look at Caulfield and despite conceding that track experience to Veight, Steparty just simply looks like a Group 1 winner in waiting. He is already a winner at 1400m and with a want to be close to the speed throughout, Steparty can produce a strong turn of foot late and leave his rivals chasing tail.
3
STEPARTY
2
VEIGHT
1
LITTLE BROSE
6
SCENTIFY
Caulfield Guineas Prelude
Race 7 – #3 Steparty (8)
3yo Colt | T: Paul Preusker | J: John Allen (57kg)
+200 with Unibet
Race 8: Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000M)
Win and you are in to the 2023 Caulfield Cup (2400m), that is what is on offer for the winner of Saturday’s Group 3 Naturalism Stakes. Floating Artist was a dominant winner over the 2040m at Moonee Valley on August 12 and with six weeks between runs, the seven-year-old can bring up a second straight success. Having finished fourth in the 2021 Melbourne Cup, he brings a certain element of class that a few of these cannot match. Look for Mark Zahra to roll into the three wide line with 800m to go and if he replicates what he did at The Valley, a few of these will not be able to go with him late over the 2000m.
3
FLOATING ARTIST
5
GOLDMAN
12
BERKELEY SQUARE
2
EMISSARY
Naturalism Stakes
Race 8 – #3 Floating Artist (10)
7yo Gelding | T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | J: Mark Zahra (57.5kg)
+300 with Picklebet
Race 9: Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m)
$750,000 is on the line in Saturday’s Group 1 Underwood Stakes and having won this race aboard Bonneval in 2017, Hugh Bowman will be looking to make his Australian return a successful one aboard Lindermann. The Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) winner from the autumn wasn’t beaten far in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) last time out after doing plenty wrong in the race. From barrier three, we expect Bowman will not want to give up the lead to race favourite Alligator Blood. Considering he is already a winner at 2000m, look for Bowman to make this a genuine staying event over the 1800m. Lindermann will have his rivals chasing a long way out and we think he can run away with the Group 1 Underwood Stakes.
13
LINDERMANN
- 14
ATTRITION
- 2
TUVALU
8
WITHOUT A FIGHT
Underwood Stakes
Race 9 – #13 Lindermann (3)
4yo Horse | T: Chris Waller | J: Hugh Bowman (58kg)
+750 with BoomBet
Race 10: BM100 Handicap (1100m)
Viviane will be looking for a fifth straight win when she steps out in the last on Saturday and we think she will do just that. She lugged 61kg to victory last time out at Sandown and her win prior to that at the Caulfield 1100m suggests she can salute here. The step back up to the 1100m from the 1000m looks ideal this deep into a preparation and considering she is drawn barrier one, has already won twice at the track and trip, Viviane looks a great bet in the last as long as she can get off the fence at the right time.
12
VIVIANE
4
MIDWEST
- 3
BACCHANALIA
- 2
GENERATION
Caulfield quaddie tips for Underwood Stakes Day 2023
Caulfield quadrella selections
Saturday, September 23, 2023
- 2-3
- 3-5-12
- 2-5-8-10-13-14
- 2-3-4-12-14-16
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