Underwood Stakes
Underwood Stakes
Group One Betting Guide
| Date: | Saturday, September 25, 2025 |
| Location: | Caulfield Racecourse – Melbourne, Victoria |
| Prize Money: | $750,000 |
| Distance: | 1800m |
Sometimes referred to as the unofficial opening of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the Group 1 Underwood Stakes is the first weight-for-age race of the spring.
The weight-for-age race is the headline act on the metropolitan card in Victoria each year on the weekend of the AFL Grand Final, and goes alongisde Golden Rose day in Sydney.
The Underwood Stakes is often looked at as a precursor to the Cox Plate, with the double having been done 15 times over the race’s 90-year history. Another six horses have run in the Underwood and then gone on to win the Cox Plate.
The most well-known to achieve this feat was Northerly, trained by Fred Kersley, who did it in 2001 and 2002. The latter victory made all the more special by the great horse also winning the Caulfield Cup in the same year.
Despite all the bluster about it being a trial run for the Caulfield Cup, just seven horses have done the double before, admittedly three of those Northerly (2002), Mummify (2003) and Elvstroem (2004) have been since 2000.
2025 Underwood Stakes odds
Markets for the 2025 Underwood Stakes are currently unavailable.
Betting on the Underwood Stakes
The Underwood Stakes has thrown up some true surprises over the years for punters. As it is so early in the season it is hard to gauge a horse’s form, with many of the leading contenders having their eyes on bigger rewards later in the carnival.
2019 winner Black Heart Bart was the biggest priced winner when he got up at $101 in what was a shock to many punters.
It can pay to do some research and see what the trainer is planning for that specific campaign, a horse might have two runs under its belt and be peaking, while a much quicker horse might be aimed at the Cox Plate and using the Underwood as a warm-up.
All Australian online bookmakers worth their grain of salt will have markets out for the Underwood at least a month in advance.
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Latest Underwood Stakes News
2025 Underwood Stakes Final Field
HorseBetting will update this page when the 2025 Underwood Stakes final field is released.
Previous Underwood Stakes Fields
Plenty of Group 1 superstars have gone on to win the Underwood Stakes. Check the previous fields of the Underwood Stakes out here.
1. Vow And Declare (13)
- T: Danny O’Brien
- J: Billy Egan
- W: 59kg
- F: 5×140
- Age: 9YO
- Colour: Chestnut
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Declaration Of War (USA)
- Dam: Geblitzt
2. Pericles (11)
- T: James Cummings
- J: Blake Shinn
- W: 59kg
- F: 13×27
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Brown
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Street Boss (USA)
- Dam: Accessories (GB)
3. Munhamek (1)
- T: Nick Ryan
- J: Jamie Mott
- W: 59kg
- F: 54611
- Age: 9YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Dark Angel (IRE)
- Dam: Cadenza (FR)
4. Huetor (6)
- T: Peter Snowden
- J: Michael Dee
- W: 59kg
- F: x0451
- Age: 8YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Archipenko (USA)
- Dam: Briviesca (GB)
5. Kovalica (12)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Damian Lane
- W: 59kg
- F: 3×563
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Ocean Park (NZ)
- Dam: Vitesse (NZ)
6. Bois D’argent (4)
- T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald
- J: Ben Melham
- W: 59kg
- F: x3134
- Age: 8YO
- Colour: Grey
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Toronado (IRE)
- Dam: Madonna Lily (IRE)
7. Fawkner Park (2)
- T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald
- J: Tyler Schiller
- W: 59kg
- F: x1311
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Zoffany (IRE)
- Dam: Za’Hara (IRE)
8. Buckaroo (10)
- T: Chris Waller
- J: Joao Moreira
- W: 59kg
- F: 18×65
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Fastnet Rock
- Dam: Roheryn (IRE)
9. Knight’s Choice (3)
- T: John Symons & Sheila Laxon
- J: Craig Williams
- W: 59kg
- F: x4324
- Age: 5YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Extreme Choice
- Dam: Midnight Pearl
10. Duke De Sessa (8)
- T: Ciaron Maher
- J: Declan Bates
- W: 59kg
- F: 2557x
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Gelding
- Sire: Lope de Vega (IRE)
- Dam: Dark Crusader (IRE)
11. Place Du Carrousel (5)
- T: Anthony & Sam Freedman
- J: Mark Zahra
- W: 57kg
- F: x72x0
- Age: 6YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Mare
- Sire: Lope de Vega (IRE)
- Dam: Traffic Jam (IRE)
12. Deny Knowledge (9)
- T: Anthony & Sam Freedman
- J: Jye McNeil
- W: 57kg
- F: x1204
- Age: 7YO
- Colour: Bay
- Sex: Mare
- Sire: Pride of Dubai
- Dam: The Paris Shrug (GB)
No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Vow And Declare Danny O’Brien Billy Egan 4 59kg 2 Alligator Blood Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Damien Oliver 8 59kg 3 Mo’unga Annabel Neasham Jamie Mott 17 59kg 4 Nonconformist Grahame Begg Harry Coffey 6 59kg 5 Tuvalu Lindsey Smith Jamie Kah 13 59kg 6 Smokin’ Romans Ciaron Maher & David Eustace John Allen 14 59kg 7 Alenquer Mike Moroney Declan Bates 10 59kg 8 Without A Fight Anthony & Sam Freedman Mark Zahra 11 59kg 9 Right You Are Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Ben Allen 2 59kg 10 Soulcombe Chris Waller Blake Shinn 5 59kg 11 Duke De SessaCiaron Maher & David EustaceEthan Brown1659kg12 Bank Maur Richard Laming Jye McNeil 1 58kg 13 Lindermann Chris Waller Hugh Bowman 3 58kg 14 Attrition Mitchell Freedman Ben Melham 15 58kg 15 Duais Edward Cummings Craig Williams 7 57kg 16 Lunar Flare Grahame Begg Michael Dee 12 57kg 17 Alaskan God (1E)Daniel MortonTBC959kgNo. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Zaaki Annabel Neasham Jamie Kah 5 59kg 2 I’m Thunderstruck Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr Mark Zahra 6 59kg 3 Alligator Blood Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Tim Clark 2 59kg 4 Mr Brightside Ben & JD Hayes Craig Williams 4 59kg 5 Mo’unga Annabel Neasham Nash Rawiller 3 59kg 6 Nonconformist Grahame Begg Jordan Childs 1 59kg No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Fifty Stars Tom Dabernig John Allen 1 59kg 2 Zaaki Annabel Neasham Craig Williams 3 59kg 3 The Chosen One Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman Damian Lane 5 59kg 4 Superstorm Danny O’Brien Damien Oliver 4 59kg 5 Probabeel Jamie Richards Brett Prebble 2 59kg No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Gailo Chop Matthew Smith Dean Yendall 5 59kg 2 Humidor Chris Waller Craig Williams 3 59kg 3 Trap For Fools Lindsey Smith Declan Bates 6 59kg 4 LevendiPeter GelagotisJason Maskiell159kg5 So Si Bon Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes Daniel Stackhouse 8 59kg 6 Mr Quickie Phillip Stokes Damian Lane 10 59kg 7 The Chosen One Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman Michael Dee 2 59kg 8 Harbour Views Matthew Williams John Allen 7 59kg 9 Arcadia Queen Grant & Alana Williams William Pike 1 57kg 10 Russian Camelot Danny O’Brien Damien Oliver 9 56.5kg
2024 Underwood Stakes result
Underwood Stakes – Recent runnings
- Buckaroo ($8.50) recorded back-to-back victories as the Chris Waller-trained gelding stormed clear in the concluding stages to take out the Group 1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Following his narrow victory in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes, the son of Fastnet Rock has continued his winning ways by rounding up his rivals on the home turn before sprinting away from the rest of the field. Duke De Sessa ($15) jumped well from the barriers to take up the lead, ahead of Pericles ($4.40) and Muhnamek ($31), who settled behind the leader on a solid tempo in the 1800m contest. Joao Moreira was able to find cover on the back of Vow And Declare ($34) midfield in the three-wide running line before peeling even wider to make his run on the eventual winner. As the leaders swung out to the middle of the track, it was evident that Buckaroo had their measure at the top of the straight, and he quickly swept on by at the 200m mark. Huetor ($71) ran on strongly from the back of the field to nab second behind Pericles, who held on for third place.
- Damien Oliver has kicked-off his farewell tour with a bang, taking out the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) aboard Alligator Blood ($3.40), giving one of the greatest jockeys his 129th Group 1 victory in the process. The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained galloper was on the one-week backup after running a bold second behind Mr Brightside in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), proving a masterstroke by the stable, with the now seven-year-old gelding saluting in back-to-back editions of the race. Oliver had no choice but to take a sit in behind the speed after missing the start, and favourite backers may have been disgruntled to see the on-speed galloper take the sit. It turned out to be an ideal position, however, letting the speed go, leaving Tuvalu ($7.50) and ‘The Blood’ fighting out the finish, with the latter getting the better at the post.
- With the 2022 Underwood Stakes being dubbed a mini Cox Plate, the race certainly lived up to expectations with Alligator Blood fending off his rivals to claim a dramatic victory. Having been nabbed in the shadows of the winning post by I’m Thunderstruck in the Makybe Diva Stakes a fortnight prior, the ‘Gator wasn’t going to be denied this time round, finding under pressure to stave off Mo’unga and Zaaki, with I’m Thunderstruck in fourth. Just over a length separated the first four across the line, with the quartet expected to clash a month later in a Cox Plate.
- The race was won before it was started when Zaaki jumped as $1.18 favourite in the five horse race. After setting the world alight in Queensland over the Winter, winning the Hollindale Stakes, Doomben Cup and The Q22, Annabel Neasham’s galloper returned to Sydney for a terrific win in the Tramway Stakes before sending him to Melbourne. The seven-year-old Gelding had a the race go exactly to plan as Craig Williams barely had to lift a finger to get the Gelding to win by 2 lengths and secure another Group Win to the plate and making it five in a row.
- The 2020 Underwood Stakes was suppose to be a match race between Russian Camelot and Arcadia Queen. However, it was Russian Camelot who went on to win the first Group 1 weight-for-age race of the season, with Humidor splitting he and Arcadia Queen. Russian Camelot was crunched into a $1.55 favourite prior to the jump and he certainly repaid the punters who were on him in the Makybe Diva Stakes where he was narrowly defeated off a tough run.
- Homesman was looking to go back in Underwood Stakes, but the Lindsey Smith trained Black Hear Bart floored Punters, and made sure quaddie tickets were confetti when he saluted at $101 in what turned out to be the Gelding’s final win before retirement and claimed his second Unerwood Stakes in the process. Homesman was able to find his way into second, whilst Gailo Chop was able to fill out the minor placings.
- The Liam Howley-trained Homesman has been one of the more impressive imports Aussie punters have seen this year, but until his breakthrough Underwood Stakes win, group success had eluded the American product. Under a brilliant Ben Melham ride, the five-year-old broke away from the field and looked to have the race sewn up before Darren Weir’s Japanese import Tosen Basil made a late charge. Homesman held on however to deliver a powerful Underwood Stakes win.
- New Zealand mare Bonneval continued its superb winning run by scoring a convincing Underwood Stakes victory. The Baker/Forsman-trained four-year-old was a multiple Oaks winner prior to running at Caulfield and it secured the significant weight-for-age victory. Bonneval firmed into Caulfield Cup markets with the win over Hartnell. Read report here.
- Black Heart Bart emerged as a serious contender for the Cox Plate with a scintillating win in 2016. Brad Rawiller steered Black Heart Bart despite carrying an injury and the pair answered the doubts over whether the horse could run 1800m. Trained by Darren Weir, Black Heart Bart ($2.20) made it two group 1s on the trot, after sitting third for most of the race before moving up at the top of the straight. The six year old beat home He or She, with Lucia Valentina also impressing to finish third. Read a full report.
- Mourinho, trained by Peter Gelagotis, defied being eight years old to hold out a class field, including fellow eight year olds Fawkner ($3.40) and The Cleaner ($7.50). For Gelagotis it was a sweet victory after Mourinho did not get a start in the 2014 Cox Plate.
- Chris Waller’s Foreteller produced a stirring sprint to defeat the previous year’s Cox Plate runner-up Happy Trails. Waller claimed after the race that the eight year old was racing as well as ever, after slowly working through the grades over a distinguished career.
- It’s a Dundeel took advantage of a wet track to win from Atlantic Jewel. Billed as the Race of the Millennium, Michael Rodd onboard Atlantic Jewel made the early pace, but it was James McDonald and It’s A Dundeel with the perfect run. Trained by Murray Baker, It’s A Dundeel only got the upper hand in the final few strides.
Previous Underwood Stakes winners
| Underwood StakesPast Winners | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2024 | Buckaroo | Joao Moreira | Chris Waller |
| 2023 | Alligator Blood | Damien Oliver | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| 2022 | Alligator Blood | Tim Clark | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| 2021 | Zaaki | Craig Williams | Annabel Neasham |
| 2020 | Russian Camelot | Damien Oliver | Danny O’Brien |
| 2019 | Black Heart Bart | Brad Rawiller | Lindsey Smith |
| 2018 | Homesman | Ben Melham | Liam Howley |
| 2017 | Bonneval | Hugh Bowman | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman |
| 2016 | Black Heart Bart | Brad Rawiller | Darren Weir |
| 2015 | Mourinho | Vlad Duric | Peter Gelagotis |
| 2014 | Foreteller | Glen Boss | Chris Waller |
| 2013 | It’s A Dundeel | James McDonald | Murray Baker |
| 2012 | Ocean Park | Glen Boss | Gary Hennessy |
| 2011 | Lion Tamer | Michael Rodd | Murray Baker |
| 2010 | So You Think | Steven Arnold | Bart Cummings |
| 2009 | Heart Of Dreams | Craig Newitt | Mick Price |
| 2008 | Weekend Hussler | Brad Rawiller | Ross McDonald |
| 2007 | Rubiscent | Danny Nikolic | Mick Price |
| 2006 | El Segundo | Darren Gauci | Colin Little |
| 2005 | Perlin | Danny Nikolic | Lee Freedman |
| 2004 | Elvstroem | Nash Rawiller | Ton Vasil |
| 2003 | Mummify | Danny Nikolic | Lee Freedman |
| 2002 | Northerly | Greg Childs | Fred Kersley |
| 2001 | Northerly | Damien Oliver | Fred Kersley |
| 2000 | Oliver Twist | Greg Childs | Brian Mayfield-Smith |
Underwood Stakes winners pre-2000
| Underwood Stakes Past Winners Pre 2000 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | ||
| 1999 | Intergaze | ||
| 1998 | Tie the Knot | ||
| 1997 | Always Aloof | ||
| 1996 | Octagonal | ||
| 1995 | Sharscay | ||
| 1994 | Jeune | ||
| 1993 | Runyon | ||
| 1992 | Prince Salieri | ||
| 1991 | Dr. Grace | ||
| 1990 | The Phantom | ||
| 1989 | Almaarad | ||
| 1988 | Authaal | ||
| 1987 | Rubiton | ||
| 1986 | Bonecrusher | ||
| 1985 | Tristarc | ||
| 1984 | Bounty Hawk | ||
| 1983 | Trissaro | ||
| 1982 | Fearless Pride | ||
| 1981 | Sovereign Red | ||
| 1980 | My Brown Jug / Waitangirua | ||
| 1979 | Valley Of Georgia | ||
| 1978 | So Called | ||
| 1977 | Denise’s Joy | ||
| 1976 | How Now | ||
| 1975 | Taras Bulba | ||
| 1974 | Frozen Section | ||
| 1973 | Scotch And Dry | ||
| 1972 | Sobar | ||
| 1971 | Gay Icarus | ||
| 1970 | Big Philou | ||
| 1969 | Rain Lover | ||
| 1968 | Lowland | ||
| 1967 | Future | ||
| 1966 | Tobin Bronze | ||
| 1965 | Future | ||
| 1964 | Contempler | ||
| 1963 | Havelock | ||
| 1962 | Aquanita | ||
| 1961 | Aquanita | ||
| 1960 | Lord | ||
| 1959 | Trellios | ||
| 1958 | Lord | ||
| 1957 | Syntax | ||
| 1956 | Ray Ribbon | ||
| 1955 | Cromis | ||
| 1954 | Flying Halo | ||
| 1953 | Flying Halo | ||
| 1952 | Ellerslie | ||
| 1951 | Laurie Hussar | ||
| 1950 | Beau Gem | ||
| 1949 | Beau Gem | ||
| 1948 | Royal Gem | ||
| 1947 | Attley | ||
| 1946 | Attley | ||
| 1945 | St. Fairy | ||
| 1944 | Amana / Tea Cake | ||
| 1943 | Gay Revelry | ||
| 1942 | Race Not Held | ||
| 1941 | Sun Valley | ||
| 1940 | Ajax | ||
| 1939 | Ajax | ||
| 1938 | Ajax | ||
| 1937 | Young Idea | ||
| 1936 | Peter Fils | ||
| 1935 | Young Idea | ||
| 1934 | Hall Mark | ||
| 1933 | Hall Mark | ||
| 1932 | Liberal | ||
| 1931 | Phar Lap | ||
| 1930 | Waterline | ||
| 1929 | Highland | ||
| 1928 | Highland | ||
| 1927 | Royal Charter | ||
| 1926 | Heroic | ||
| 1925 | Whittier | ||
| 1924 | Whittier | ||
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