Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (Group 1)
$400,000. Saturday 22 September 2012
Caulfield, Three-Years-Old and Upwards Standard Weight for Age
Originating as the Williamstown Stakes in 1924 when won by Whittier, the Underwood is named after long time chariman of the Williamstown Racing Club and later VRC Vice-Chairman and prominent owner, E.A. Underwood. Group 1 since 1979, it had a number of distance changes and venues in its first 30 years but was conducted at 2000m between 1954-1993 and has been at 1800m since 1994.
It has been a reliable guide to the big three races of spring, its honour roll producing 12 winners of the Yalumba Stakes, seven Caulfield Cup winners, 15 Cox Plate winners and two Melbourne Cup Winners - Jeune (1994) and Rain Lover (1969).
So You Think (2010) was the fourth horse to win the Underwood, Yalumba, Cox Plate treble, following Northerly (2001), Bonecrusher (1986) and
Ajax (1938).
The last mare to win the race was Tristarc in 1985, while the last three-year-old to win was Sobar in 1972. Other prominent winners before 2000 include:
Octagonal (1996), Rubiton (1987), Sobar (1972), Rain Lover (1969), Tobin Bronze (1966), Lord (1960, 1958), Ajax (1940, 1939, 1938) and Phar Lap (1931).
Last year, Kiwi galloper
Lion Tamer followed up his win in the AAMI Victoria Derby a year earlier with an equally impressive victory in the Underwood.
Trainers
Ken Hilton won it six times: Lord (1958, 1960), Havelock (1963), Future (1965, 1967), Sobar (1972). Lee Freedman has trained four winners: Mummify (2003), Always Aloof (1997), Sharscay (1995) and Runyon (1993).
Jockeys
The leading current jockey in the Underwood Stakes is Danny Nikolic with four winners:
Rubiscent (2007),
Perlin (2005),
Mummify (2003) and Always Aloof (1997).
Fast Facts
- The Underwood Stakes was inaugurated in 1924 and run at Werribee Racecourse until 1948 when it shifted to Caulfield
- The Underwood hasn't been a good race to mares of late with no female successful since Tristarc in 1985
- Seven of the past 12 winners have come through the Makybe Diva Stakes
- Four-year-olds have been the dominant age group of late, winning the past four renewals, most recently with Lion Tamer
- The Underwood Stakes has been a mixed race for punters in the last six runnings with three favourites winning and three at double-figure odds, including Rubiscent at $41 in 2007
- Half of the past 22 Caulfield Cup winners have come through the Underwood, including last year’s Caulfield Cup heroine Southern Speed (finished second in Underwood)