The weather is starting to heat up around the country and so is the quality of racing, with another big race day card greeting us this Saturday. For our feature race of the day we’re heading to Caulfield for the 1800m Group One Underwood Stakes.
Who could forget this race last year with It’s A Dundeel and Atlantic Jewel duking it out down the straight, with It’s A Dundeel grabbing it on the line to inflict the only career loss for Atlantic Jewel. While this year’s race doesn’t quite have that level of class, it still appears to be a cracking race.
The track is rated a Good 3 and should be somewhere in the good/dead range by the time the race kicks off.
The favourite is one of our favourites in Silent Achiever ($3.30 at Bet365). SA put in a decent showing with a fourth place in the Memsie, and will be better off for the run. Damien Oliver stays on board, a great barrier and a strong second-up record all point in favour of the mare, but zero places from four starts at Caulfield has to be a concern. Interestingly, the Memsie result and preparation is the same as It’s A Dundeel had before winning last year’s Underwood.
Others who took the same line of preparation in the Memsie are Super Cool ($51 at Bet365) and Happy Trails ($15 at Sportingbet) and both are capable of bold runs if you’re looking for some value.
Stipulate ($6.50 at Bet365) is the only horse coming off a mighty last-start win in the Listed Heatherlie which was over 1,700m at Caulfield. It won with ease, and the horse it beat franked that form with a win on Saturday at Flemington. It’s a rise in class and will have to get across from a wide barrier, but it will be a strong chance if it can get a sound ride.
The other horse we want to look at it Foreteller. Perhaps a little unlucky by the ride in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes a few weeks back, Foreteller’s last 200m was impressive and perhaps a sign the two-time Group One winner was getting back to his best. Will there be enough tempo for Foreteller to swoop late?
Verdict: There’s no obvious leader which makes the speed map a little tricky, but it looks like Star Rolling will come across and Lidari may push ahead from barrier 1. This should be ideal for Silent Achiever to get the box ride in behind the leaders. There’s a lot of unpredictability in this race with the likes of Happy Trails, Foreteller and The Offer capable of anything, but we’re going to stick with the class and the consistency of Silent Achiever to get the victory.
1st Silent Achiever ($3.30 at Bet365)
2nd Stipulate ($6.50 at Bet365)
3rd Foreteller ($5.50 at Betfair)
Take note: The above tips are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always bet responsibly. Happy punting!
