UNDERWOOD STAKES
- 1800m
- $750,000
- weight-for-age
- at Caulfield
HISTORY
* First run in 1924 when won by Whittier
NOTABLE WINNERS
- Whittier (1924-25)
- Phar Lap (1931)
- Ajax (1938-39-40)
- Tobin Bronze (1966)
- Rain Lover (1970)
- Bonecrusher (1986)
- Jeune (1994)
- Octagonal (1996)
- Northerly (2001-02)
- Weekend Hussler (2008)
- So You Think (2010)
- It’s A Dundeel (2013)
- Bonneval (2017)
* Waitangirua and My Brown Jug dead-heated for first in 1980
TALKING POINTS
- The winner of the Underwood is eligible for a $1 million bonus if they go on to win this year’s $5 million Cox Plate at The Valley
- Last year’s winner Homesman and 2016 winner Black Heart Bart are both aiming to become the first horses since Northerly in 2001 and 2002 to win the race twice
- The Chosen One’s co-trainer Murray Baker is aiming for his fifth Underwood victory having won with Bonneval (2017), It’s A Dundeel (2013), Lion Tamer (2011), The Phantom (1990)
- West Australian gelding Gatting will be chasing a second-consecutive Group One win after his upset victory over Mystic Journey in the Makybe Diva Stakes
- Of the 13 runners, 10 are Group One winners with only Yucatan, Super Titus and The Chosen One yet to win at the highest level
WHAT THE KEY PLAYERS ARE SAYING:
- “The Underwood this year is looking like a race that will suit him and give him a great chance to add another Group One to a truly great record” – Hartnell’s trainer James Cummings
- “I think we will see a better performance on Sunday” – Humidor’s co-trainer David Eustace
- “I thought it was a pass mark at The Valley and hopefully she can improve going up in trip” – Eustace on Kenedna
- “He’ll certainly be a couple of lengths better off for having that run, but I think he’s still a run away from going to the races with a little bit of confidence of giving the race a shake” – Gailo Chop‘s trainer Matthew Williams
- “He over-raced last start and I thought backing him up over 1800 metres with a faster tempo would be good” – Lindsay Park co-trainer David Hayes on Super Titus