Kiwis Eyeing Caulfield Feature

The third leg of New Zealand Bloodstock's Weight for Age Championship - the Group 1 $350,000 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield - is the first Group 1 race in Victoria this season, and boasts a line-up packed with leading spring contenders.

A race rich in history, the Underwood Stakes was first run in 1924 and is famed for attracting the best middle-distance horses in the country, boasting the likes of Phar Lap, Octagonal and Northerly as past winners.

The first race in the Victoria spring carnival to be run over more than a mile under weight-for-age conditions, it is renowned as an ideal prelude to the riches of the WS Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup. Fourteen horses have completed the winning Underwood/Cox Plate double, including So You Think (NZ) last season, Northerly in 2001 and 2002, and Bonecrusher (NZ) in 1986, while it has produced seven Caulfield Cup winners including Elvstroem in 2004, and Mummify in 2003.

The early Cup markets are currently dominated by New Zealand horses with a number of those taking their place in the Underwood Stakes - providing the kiwis with over half of Saturday's 15-horse field.

Amongst an impressive selection is the Peter Moody trained Lights of Heaven (NZ) (Zabeel x I'm In Heaven), one of four runners by New Zealand champion sire Zabeel. Currently on the fifth line of betting for the Caulfield Cup at $15, Lights of Heaven is the early race favourite after drawing well in barrier three. The rise in distance to the 1800 metres looks right up her alley and she is currently in hot contention for the NZB WFA Championship sitting in second place on the table with eight points.

The history-making Australian Guineas/Australian Derby winner and Karaka graduate Shamrocker (NZ) (O'Reilly x Bohemian Blues) lines up for Danny O'Brien and has drawn well in barrier five. She is the current Melbourne Cup favourite at $12.  

Fellow Karaka graduates Scarlett Lady (NZ) (Savabeel x On Call) and Brazilian Pulse (NZ) (Captain Rio x Sharazad) have both drawn well with barriers seven and eight respectively. The race will be Scarlett Lady's first Australian appearance this season for Graeme and Debbie Rogerson and she put in an eye-catching performance in the Group 1 Makfi Challenge Stakes over 1400 metres in Hastings two weeks ago. She will be partnered once again with gun apprentice James MacDonald.

Scarlett Lady's Group 3 Doomben Roses and Group 1 Queensland Oaks victories have propelled her to second favourite in the Caulfield Cup ($11) and the Melbourne Cup ($14).

Brazilian Pulse hasn't yet shown the form of last season that saw her win in the Group 1 AJC Oaks, but Craig Newitt will be looking to change that for the Moroney stable on Saturday.

The 2010 VRC Derby winner Lion Tamer (NZ) (Storming Home x Lioness), trained by Murray Baker, is another having his first start in Australia this season. Missing the autumn racing due to injury, Lion Tamer ran on nicely for fourth in the Group 1 Makfi Challenge Stakes at Hastings fresh up. He has drawn barrier six with Michael Rodd.

The Bart Cummings trained Karaka graduate Precedence (NZ) (Zabeel x Kowtow) has the Melbourne Cup as his target this spring and will appreciate the longer trip. He was a headline performer last spring winning the Group 3 JRA Cup and the Group 2 Mooney Valley Gold Cup and will jump from barrier ten.

Brazilian Pulse (NZ) wins the Group 1 VRC Oaks

 After winning the 2009 Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington, the Underwood Stakes sees the return of 2007 Melbourne Cup winner Efficient (NZ) (Zabeel x Refused the Dance) who has not been seen on the track in almost two years. He has drawn barrier four for Robert Hickmott with his stablemate Midas Touch (Galileo x Approach) jumping from gate two.

Fellow Karaka graduate and Caulfield Cup winner Master O'Reilly (NZ) (O'Reilly x Without Remorse) - the second entrant by his sire in the race - continues his return after resuming in the Makybe Diva Stakes for Cranbourne trainer Judy Mawer. He has drawn the ace barrier, with Nigel Blackiston's Right of Refusal (Refuse To Bend x Melinda) drawing wide in 11 for Michael Walker.

Glass Harmonium (Verglas x Spring Symphony) put in a solid performance last start for Mike Moroney being run down in the final strides by the late finishing Littorio (Bellotto) in the Group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes. He is a tough horse and has drawn barrier 12 with Southern Speed (Southern Image x Golden Eagle) and Danny Nikolic on his outside in gate 13.

A winner of this race two years ago, Heart of Dreams (Show a Heart x Academy Of Dreams) has won twice over 1800 metres and has taken three wins on the Caulfield track. His last start, second to King's Rose in the New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes, was full of merit and has him equal-second on the Championship table, but he has a tough barrier of 14 to contend with for trainer Mick Price.

The Western Australian Derby runner-up Playing God (Blackfriars x Dolly Will Do) will be looking to make his own luck after drawing gate 15 for Neville Parnham.

The winner of the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) will earn 10 points in New Zealand Bloodstock's WFA Championship, with the ultimate winner of the Championship receiving a magnificent emerald and diamond clasp pearl necklace to the value of $25,000 courtesy of Catanach's Jewellers. A perpetual trophy has also been commissioned.

The points available for the Championship are as follows:

First	Second	Third	Fourth	Fifth	Sixth	Seventh	Eighth
10	8	6	4	3	1	1	1

The Group 1 Underwood Stakes is set to jump at 5.40pm New Zealand time. To view the current points table and racing schedule for New Zealand Bloodstock's Caulfield Spring Weight-For-Age Championship, click here.