2011 Underwood Stakes Preview & Tips

2011 Underwood Stakes Preview & Tips

Caulfield – Sat 17 September 2011

The feature race at Caulfield on Saturday is the Group 1 $350,000 Hyland Colours Underwood Stakes over 1800 metres. This is Victoria’s first Group 1 of the racing season, and there are also three Group 3 races on the nine event program. There is a field of 15 acceptances, including 5 mares. A mare has not won this race since Tristarc in 1985, but four-year-old mare Lights Of Heaven is the $4.50 favourite in the early market. The field is dominated by Zabeel horses as he sired Efficient, Maluckyday, Precedence and Lights Of Heaven, sired the dam of Southern Speed and the sire of Scarlett Lady. New Zealand sire O’Reilly is represented by Master O’Reilly and Shamrocker. The track was rated dead at acceptance time with the possibility of an upgrade.

Runners in the 2011 Underwood at Caulfield

Lights Of Heaven ($4.50) has had 6 starts for 4 wins and a second. She won her first 4 starts, culminating in the Group 1 Schweppes Australasian Oaks. She returned as a four-year-old with a close 2^nd behind Whobegotyou in the 1400m Group 2 P.B. Lawrence then ran 2 lengths 5^th behind Littorio in the Group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes over 1600m 2 weeks ago. That was a fairly plain performance and the blinkers will go on this time. One of the chances.

Glass Harmonium ($5) came second to Littorio in the Makybe Diva Stakes, and that race is a good guide to this one. The six-year-old is lightly raced with only 17 races, and is a model of consistency. His last 5 starts he has run 2^nd, 3^rd, 1^st, 2^nd and 2^nd – all at Group 1 or Group 2 level. He has raced at this distance 3 times for 2 seconds. Definitely one for the trifectas.

Heart Of Dreams ($6) won this race in 2009, beating Whobegotyou. He resumed from a spell with a 2^nd in the 1400m Memsie Stakes where he was just edged out by King’s Rose. He has never won from 6 second-up starts, but has ran 2^nd 4 times and 3^rd once. He goes well at this track and distance, and is a strong contender.

Scarlett Lady ($6) is a New Zealand mare who had 6 straight victories last season, finishing with an impressive win in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks. She returned from a spell with a 7^th behind Mufhasa in a Group 1 race over 1400m at Hastings on 27 August. Is very talented but made need another run to reach her best.

Playing God ($11) is a West Australian with 2 starts at this distance for 2 wins. He is a horse that tries his heart out and is well-suited in this field. Unfortunately he has drawn the outside barrier, and with the rail out 10 metres on Saturday that is going to make things very difficult for him. With an inside barrier he would have been a special.

Shamrocker ($12) was one of the stars of the autumn, with a winner in the Group 1 Australian Guineas, 3^rd in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas, win in the Group 1 AJC Australian Derby and 2^nd in the Group 1 AJC Oaks. She resumed for 8^th to King’s Rose in the 1400m Memsie Stakes and will be suited by the 1800m. She has a good second-up record with 2 wins from 3 tries, including the Guineas win. Could be the first mare to win this race in over 25 years.

Midas Touch ($13) is a European import with 3 Australian starts under his belt. His latest run was a solid 3^rd in the Group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes where he hit the line well and should be well-placed here..

Jo’s Tips – Underwood Stakes

- Top Tip: (11.) Shamrocker
- Danger: (7.) Glass Harmonium
- Trifecta: (3.) Heart Of Dreams