Alligator Blood vaults into Underwood Stakes favouritism

Alligator Blood
Alligator Blood, ridden by Blake Shinn, wins the Futurity Stakes at Sandown Racecourse on February 25, 2023. (Picture: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)

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. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
1 Silks
Vow And Declare
Danny O’Brien
Billy Egan
4
59kg
2 Silks
Alligator Blood
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Damien Oliver
8
59kg
3 Silks
Mo’unga
Annabel Neasham
Jamie Mott
17
59kg
4 Silks
Nonconformist
Grahame Begg
Harry Coffey
6
59kg
5 Silks
Tuvalu
Lindsey Smith
Jamie Kah
13
59kg
6 Silks
Smokin’ Romans
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
John Allen
14
59kg
7 Silks
Alenquer
Mike Moroney
Declan Bates
10
59kg
8 Silks
Without A Fight
Anthony & Sam Freedman
Mark Zahra
11
59kg
9 Silks
Right You Are
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Ben Allen
2
59kg
10 Silks
Soulcombe
Chris Waller
Blake Shinn
5
59kg
11 Silks
Duke De Sessa
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Ethan Brown
16
59kg
12 Silks
Bank Maur
Richard Laming
Jye McNeil
1
58kg
13 Silks
Lindermann
Chris Waller
Hugh Bowman
3
58kg
14 Silks
Attrition
Mitchell Freedman
Ben Melham
15
58kg
15 Silks
Duais
Edward Cummings
Craig Williams
7
57kg
16 Silks
Lunar Flare
Grahame Begg
Michael Dee
12
57kg
17 Silks
Alaskan God (1E)
Daniel Morton
TBC
9
59kg

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