A Group 1 day of racing awaits punters on Saturday afternoon at Caulfield as the Underwood Stakes (1800m) headlines a stacked 10-race meeting. With showers forecast in the lead up to raceday, the track is likely to be in the soft range come race one, with runners likely heading to the middle of the track as the day progresses. The rail comes out 6m the entire circuit, with Underwood Stakes Day commencing at 12:10pm AEST.
Race 1: BM78 Handicap (2000m)
Gold Wolf may have only beaten four horses home first-up, but his run was better than what it reads on paper. 1800m is short of best, so the step up to 2000m on the weekend looks ideal for the son of Tivaci. He is already a winner at the 2400m here at Caulfield, but with a genuinely run race expected, it should suit Gold Wolf perfectly. Celine Gaudray’s 1.5kg claim gets him in nicely with 60kg on his back, and with even luck in the home straight, he looks a great each-way play.
Federer has been breathtaking at both his starts when saluting by a combined 9.5 lengths. The four-year-old has come from off the speed and shown an electric turn of foot, before being throttled down to suggest we are yet to see the best of the Ciaron Maher-trained gelding. Barrier one may be a touch concerning, but if Ben Allen can find clear running at the right time, Federer should have no issue in serving up another masterclass.
Poifect has not been seen since finishing midfield in Group 2 company at Doomben on May 25, but first-up this spring, she looks to have found the right race to exert her class on. Having won at Listed level prior to that effort at Doomben, the Pierro mare showed she has bigger wins in store throughout her career. Mick Dee will likely have her leading the field up, and with a cheap sectional or two, Poifect will prove too hard to run down.
Silmarillion disposed of a similar field at Moonee Valley on September 7, and despite going up 1.5kg for Saturday’s assignment, the Too Darn Hot filly looks the goods once again. She gains the services of Blake Shinn from barrier one, who will likely stalk the lead throughout the 1400m event. Silmarillion is the class horse in this field, and if she is anywhere near her best, she should be too good once more.
Another Wil could not have been more breathtaking when saluting first-up at Caulfield with 60.5kg on his back. He needed to sustain a long run from the rear of the field that day and got up in the shadows of the winning post to get the better of Here To Shock, who he meets again. Barrier one means he will need some luck in the home straight, but if he is afforded any, Another Wil looks too hard to hold out once again.
The Inferno has not won in over three years, but the now eight-year-old gelding will get his chance to break that drought in BM100 company. He has chased home Imperatriz at his last two first-up runs and has been far from disgraced in either of those runs at Group 1 level. Despite this being a handy field, it is one of the weaker fields he has faced in a while. He will be at the rear of the field under Ethan Brown, but come the final 200m, The Inferno will be scorching down the outside, and hopefully get his head down where it matters most.
Win and you are into the Caulfield Cup (2400m), that is what is on offer for the winner of the Group 3 MRC Foundation Cup (2000m). As pointed out in the Follow Files, Que Tempesta produced a strong local debut over 1700m, and stepping up to the 2000m second-up looks to be the recipe for success. He was hitting the line better than most last time out, despite racing in tight quarters, but if he can find clear air in the home straight, Que Tempesta looks the goods.
It may not be an iconic edition of the Underwood Stakes, but there looks to be plenty of winning chances heading into Saturday’s feature. Deny Knowledge is simply the wrong price, considering she looks to be the only leader in the race, and with Jye McNeil on board, the pair can dictate terms throughout. Much like Pride Of Jenni, Deny Knowledge will look to break the field up upon settling and hold a big lead, and it’ll all come down as to whether her rivals can chase her down. She is a winner first-up in the past, and if we’re on an improving surface, the $27 on offer with horse racing bookmakers is too hard to ignore.
The Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) has attracted an even field and following an unlucky run first-up at Moonee Valley, Epimeles can bounce back to the winners stall in this. The Dundeel colt was shuffled back to last approaching the home turn and was doing his best work late once balanced up. From barrier 10, John Allen will have him in the moving line throughout and will look to keep luck out of the equation turning for home. If Epimeles produces anything like he showed as juvenile, he should be winning.
In what shapes as a tough way to finish the meeting, A Little Deep has done nothing wrong at her two runs this campaign and can build her winning streak to three. The Deep Field mare produced a barnstorming finish to claim Listed success at Moonee Valley on September 7, and was a smart Caulfield winner first-up over 1100m. She stays at the 1200m, and from barrier three under Jamie Kah will gain an economical run in transit throughout. With a similar finishing burst and fitness under her belt, A Little Deep should prove a little too good.