G1 Underwood Stakes Attracts Top Flight Field

The third leg of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Spring Weight-For-Age Championship at Caulfield Racecourse will be contested on Saturday with the running of the A$400,000 Group 1 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m).

Mongolian Khan looks for a third Group 1 victory in Saturday's Group 1 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes.

A stellar field of runners has been assembled to contest the Group 1 event with five of the 12 horses already winners at Group 1 level.

At the top of the book is race-favourite Fawkner (Reset), winner of three Group 1 races including his last start in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes, plus the Group 1 Caulfield Cup and the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes. Commencing from barrier 2, Damien Oliver will ride Fawkner after being on board last start for trainer Robert Hickmott.

The Darren Weir trained Dandino (Dansili) has contested two Group 1 races in Australia since permanently relocating to Australia. In a trip to Australia in 2013, the son of Dansili ran second to race rival Fawkner in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup. Ben Melham has been engaged to ride Dandino from barrier 11.

The Group 1 performed Sertorius (Galileo) returns to the NZB Spring WFA Championship after an unlucky run in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes. A winner two starts ago in the Group 3 Easter Cup, the son of Galileo has placed in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes and the Group 1 Sydney Cup. Jockey Ryan Maloney takes the ride from barrier 10 for trainer Jamie Edwards.

The last start winner of the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes was The Cleaner (Savoire Vivre), the second consecutive year he has won that race. Trained by Mick Burles, The Cleaner was runner-up in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes to Mourinho (Oratorio) two starts ago at Caulfield. Starting from barrier 1, Noel Callow resumes as the rider having ridden The Cleaner in his two previous starts.

Joint leader of the NZB Spring WFA Championship currently is Mourinho (Oratorio). He sits at the top of the Championship after victory in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes two starts ago. Group 1 placed on the track in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes, the son of Oratorio has returned to trainer Peter Gelagotis and will begin from barrier 4 for jockey Vlad Duric.

Last season’s dual Group 1 winner Contributer (High Chaparral) won the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes over 1600m and the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes over 2000m during the Sydney Autumn Carnival this year. Trained by John O’Shea, the son of High Chaparral began his spring campaign with a fifth placing in the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes. Ridden by kiwi jockey James McDonald, he will start from barrier 8.

From Chris Waller’s stable is the Group 1 performed Weary (Astronomer Royal), he will be looking to win his first race Group 1 race after being placed on three occasions at the highest level. The son of Astronomer Royal has drawn the outside barrier of 12 with Craig Newitt engaged to ride.

Former Hong Kong galloper Dibayani (Shamardal) will represent trainers David Hayes and Tom Dabernig. Placing in his first two starts in Australia, both at Group 2 level, Dibayani was a Listed winner in Ireland and spent 2014 racing in Hong Kong where he placed in three Hong Kong Group 1 races. He will jump from barrier 9 for jockey Damian Lane, rider in both of his Australian starts.

Dual derby winner Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor), New Zealand’s Horse of the Year, will have his second start since his victory in last season’s Group 1 Australian Derby. Also winner of the Group 1 New Zealand Derby, he is trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman and has one of New Zealand’s leading jockeys Opie Bosson making the trip to Caulfield on Saturday to ride, starting from barrier 3.

The Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs trained Volkstok’n’barrell (NZ) (Tavistock) will compete against Mongolian Khan yet again after being runner-up to him in two Group 1 events and defeating him in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas last season. The son of Tavistock never got a run at his last start in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes after a sound fresh up run in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes. Beginning from barrier 7, Craig Williams will once again be aboard.

Another derby winner, Magicool (Fastnet Rock), will contest Saturday’s event for trainer Mark Kavanagh. Three starts ago, the son of Fastnet Rock won the Group 1 Queensland Derby and will be looking to come back to winning form after two unplaced runs this campaign, both at Group 1 level. He will be ridden by James Winks, his Group 1 winning jockey, from barrier 5.

Rounding out the field is a second son of Champion Sire High Chaparral Hi World, trained by Peter Moody. Last season Hi World won his last three starts as a three-year-old, all run at Randwick during the Autumn Carnival where he picked up his first two stakes wins, both at Group 3 level over 1600m and 2000m. Drawing barrier 6, this season’s regular rider Kerrin McEvoy will be aboard on Saturday.

The current leaders of the New Zealand Bloodstock Spring WFA Championship are Boban (Bernardini) and Mourinho with 10 points each. A further 10 points are on offer for the winner of the Group 1 Underwood Stakes with points awarded back to eighth placing.

To view the field for the Group 1 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes, click here.

To view the race schedule for the New Zealand Bloodstock Spring WFA Championship, click here.