A capacity field has been taken for Saturday’s Group 1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield!
It has been won by plenty of stars of the Australasian turf throughout its storied existence, and with so many previous Group 1 winners engaged in 2023, the Underwood Stakes could very easily prove to be one of the Spring Carnival’s standout contests.
I’ve had a look into the form of every galloper engaged, and you can find all of my thoughts and 2023 Underwood Stakes Tips below.
Suggested Bets
- 3 Units E/W #10 Soulcombe
- Boxed Trifecta of the selections below
To be fair, it’s a pretty big rise in class, but Soulcombe couldn’t have been more impressive over the 1700m of the Heatherlie Handicap here when resuming, and I think that the Underwood Stakes is the perfect Group 1 target for him.
Soulcombe performed well around some world-class horses over in the UK at the beginning of his racing career, and he stormed onto the Australian scene last spring with a dominant performance in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
He didn’t show his best in two autumn starts this year, but I thought that his performance first-up in the Heatherlie suggested he might be back to his best, and I am only expecting improvement for that hit-out.
Attrition has improved for two runs back from a break, and he’s another that I thought would be ideally suited to a race like the Underwood.
Having finished fifth, beaten two lengths by Mr Brightside in the PB Lawrence Stakes first-up this time, the Churchill entire mustered an eye-catching turn off foot to hit the line for second behind Pinstriped in the Feehan Stakes last time out.
Fitter third-up, there is absolutely no doubt that he’ll eat up the 1800m, and he is following what look to be the strongest form lines produced during the early stages of this Spring Carnival.
Reigning Underwood Stakes winner Alligator Blood is on the short back-up into Saturday’s feature race, and there is no denying that he has a lot of this field covered for class.
We know how good he has been for a few seasons now – you don’t need me to go into the finer details every single time he steps out. In lamens terms, is a multiple Group 1 champion, and he continues to perform well in Australia’s best races.
He’s had two starts back from a break, running fourth in the Memsie Stakes first-up and second behind Mr Brightside in last weekend’s Makybe Diva Stakes, and Ollie will take him forward again this week and give them something to chase.
One galloper who I am keen to see out to the 1800m for the first time this week is Tuvalu, and he’s another that has performed well around the Carnival’s standout gallopers so far.
The Kermadec gelding has continued to improve with each preparation since making his debut, and he realised his Group 1 potential with a lovely win in last spring’s Toorak Handicap.
Fourth behind Mr Brightside in the PB Lawrence first-up this time, third behind Pinstriped in the Feehan Stakes at his latest – this does look the next logical target for him, while the booking of Jamie Kah adds further confidence.