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Cameron Happ analyses the entire Underwood Stakes meeting from Caulfield

Cameron Happ - Monday October 2

Cameron Happ takes an in-depth look at how your money performed and pinpoints some future winners from Caulfield in a race-by-race analysis of Underwood Stakes day.

Perast burst the bubble of previously unbeaten Royal Symphony and raced his way into contention for the Caulfield Guineas winning the Prelude on Sunday. Photo: Darryl Sherer

Race 1 - Mypunter.Com BM78 Handicap (1400m)

1st - Steel Frost ($3.5 fav)
2nd - Imperator Augustus ($12) - 0.4 lens
3rd - Tribal Wisdom ($17) - 0.5 lens
Then Followed: Ozi Choice ($10), Battlecamp ($15), Written Attraction ($41), Stormsabrewing ($11), Portion Control ($11), Typhoon Monaco ($21), Willby Rules ($21), Hunting Hill ($21), Castelo ($17), Special Diva ($7), Comacina ($101)

Analysis: Ben Allen might have over done it slowing the tempo mid race on Ozi Choice as he was attacked before the turn and left a sitting shot, he did a good job to fight on. Steel Frost is a real winner and showed why. He ran the fastest sections of the race for every split from the 800m and now looks ready to step up to something better and longer. Imperator Augustus may have been unlucky, he faced the breeze the entire trip, so to still go close was a huge effort. Nice return to form for Tribal Wisdom and Stormsabrewing was an eyecatcher late after being forced back to last when trapped off the track early.

Money Trail: The winner Steel Frost was solid just $3.20 to $3.40 and there wasn't a lot of interest in the race. Ozi Choice $14 to $10 has some specking.
Blackbooker: Stormsabrewing looks set for a good campaign. She was forced back to last after being trapped four deep early and was out on the 9m line where the track was inferior from last meeting. She may need one more but there's a race for her as she rises in trip.

Race 2 - Italktravel Plate BM90 Handicap (1100m)

1st - Snitty Kitty ($4.5)
2nd - Chiavari ($26) - 1.8 lens
3rd - Quilista ($3.75 fav) - 2.3 lens
Then Followed: Sullivan Bay ($17), Motown Lil ($7.5), Fille Champagne ($31), Jalan Jalan ($13), Lyuba ($21), Selenia ($4.75), Winspot ($101), A Mist Opportunity ($101), Violent Snow ($101), Divine Chills ($21), Petite's Reward ($67)

Analysis: Outstanding front running ride here from Zahra on Snitty Kitty . He rolled them along enough to hold the front, got a cheaper section just before the turn and she put them away quickly despite giving away weight. Quilista over raced badly on Snitty Kitty's back and never settled until she saw daylight at the 250m, she did well to fill a place. Motown Lil was the best from the back and the rest pretty much held their spots in the run to the line. All honours with the winner and she has upside with this just her first run back from a spell.

Money Trail: Snitty Kitty had late support $5 into $4.60 after being easy initially. Quilista $3.40 out to $3.80 was solid enough. Selenia was well backed $5.50 into $4.80 and Motown Lil had some support $9 into $7.50.
Blackbooker: Fille Champagne will only improve off the first-up run and she's a better horse as she gets out to 1400m to a mile. She may need one more run but can find a race over the carnival.

Race 3 - Inglis Cup (2000m)

1st - Wheal Leisure ($6)
2nd - Hardham ($1.53 fav) - 1.8 lens
3rd - Lycurgus ($11) - 2.6 lens
Then Followed: Baykool ($21), Taikomochi ($17), Pablo's Express ($10), So Belafonte ($101)

Analysis: No excuses for the short priced favourite Hardham . He did no work early before cruising up to take the lead at the 300m and was just beaten by a better stayer. Yendall did give Wheal Leisure the perfect ride, he tracked Hardham everywhere he went and she was dominant through the line off what was only an even tempo. Pablo's Express can be forgiven, he never settled in front and Lycurgus did enough along the rails for something longer, he lacks the sprint to go with them at this sort of trip.

Money Trail: Hardham never moved at the short $1.55 and Wheal Leisure was the only one specked to beat him $6.50 out to $7.00 before firming into $6.
Blackbooker: Not getting overly excited behind the top two. Baykool can win a race in the right grade with a rating of just 64 going into this race. He was going to drop out when they sprinted before the turn but did keep finding the line to not be beaten far.

Race 4 - Ladbrokes Up For Challenge Open Hcp (1700m)

1st - Cool Chap ($6.5 fav)
2nd - Nozomi ($10) - 0.5 lens
3rd - Jacquinot Bay ($12) - 0.6 lens
Then Followed: Count Da Vinci ($8), Amovatio ($12), Turnitaround ($21), I'm Feeling Lucky ($61), Petrology ($26), Tarquin ($31), Odeon ($21), Great Esteem ($31), Magic Consol ($21), Red Alto ($17), Our Century ($6.5 fav), Guardini ($8), Big Memory ($81)

Analysis: They set it up for the back markers in this running only 0.46 seconds off the track record but it was still a bit of a bunched finish. Damian Lane showed why he's right at the top of his game giving Cool Chap a perfect ride. He went well back from a sticky gate, did no work in the run before cruising into the clear on the turn and he charge home off the hot pace. Nozomi was the sectional star of the race. He flashed home after going back to last from the bad gate. You must feel for Jacquinot Bay's connections, he was a massive run out three deep facing the breeze and still only went down in the last 50m. It's a long time since he's won but he's flying.

Money Trail: Cool Chap was best backed $7.50 into $6.50. Our Century was $7.00 into $6.50. The other main hopes were easy with some small specking for a few roughies.
Blackbooker: Odeon took a big step up here on his poor fresh run. He was exposed early four deep and kept finding despite peaking on his run 100m out. With more fitness to come he can be well placed at his next few starts.

Race 5 - Schweppes Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) - G2

1st - Booker ($6.5)
2nd - Shoals ($5.5) - 0.4 lens
3rd - Catchy ($1.9 fav) - 0.5 lens
Then Followed: She's So High ($8.5), Limestone ($13), Roomooz ($31), Seannie ($26), Mahlani ($101)

Analysis: If you'd taken the short odds Catchy you were nervous early giving such a big start to a good filly like Booker at just a good even tempo. She did a good job to charge home and get close and she was right on the line of the track that had the wear from the last meeting with the rail out nine metres. Shoals lost no admirers heading towards the Guineas, only 2nd-up, she's got more improvement to come. Not sure about Booker going to the mile, she got all the breaks today and they had her in a few more strides. She's So High was solid but had her chance. Seannie may have had excuses with Mucus post-race and EIPH.

Money Trail: Booker was easy $5.50 to $6.50. Shoals was solid $5.00 out to start $5.50. Catchy was best backed $2.00 into $1.90 before starting $1.95. She's So High eased to $9.50 before starting her opening price of $8.50.
Blackbooker: The first four were dominant but are also likely to meet again next start. If they were to lower their sights with She's So High instead of heading to the Thousand Guineas she'd be able to pick up a race.

Race 6 - Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) - G3

1st - Perast ($11)
2nd - Summer Passage ($17) - 1.0 lens
3rd - Kementari ($3.75) - 1.2 lens
Then Followed: Royal Symphony ($2.38 fav), Eclair Sunshine ($11), Levendi ($21), Invader ($9), Al Passem ($51), Muraahib ($31), Barney Allen ($301)

Analysis: What this race did show us is the Sydney three-year-old form has a bit on the Victorians. Perast was given no hope in the Golden Rose but was well beaten. To bounce back just eight days later was a super training effort from Paul Perry. Kementari was strong through the line. Only 2nd-up for the preparation and coming off a four-week break, he'll take a stack of improvement into the Guineas. Don't give up on Royal Symphony . He had to get going well before the others and did run clearly the fastest last 600m of the race in 33.91 and equal quickest last 400m identical to Kementari. He's clearly looking for the mile.

Money Trail: Perast was specked $10.00 into $9.50 before starting $11. Kementari was solid $3.50 into $3.30 before easing late to $3.80. They risked Royal Symphony $2.25 out to start $2.40 and Invader had specking $12 into $9.00.
Blackbooker: Levendi has been heading towards the Guineas but he'd only go around a rough place chance. He ran some sharp late sections in this, if they were to head towards something easier he'd be incredibly tough to beat.

Race 7 - Hyland Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m) - G1

1st - Bonneval ($4.25)
2nd - Hartnell ($2.11 fav) - 1.0 lens
3rd - Gailo Chop ($12) - 1.1 lens
Then Followed: Single Gaze ($21), Black Heart Bart ($6.5), Inference ($51), Samovare ($13), He's Our Rokkii ($41)

Analysis: What looked to be a walking race on paper turned out to be a bit of a staying test, run in the second fastest time since the race switched to 1800m in 1994. It was just an even tempo for the first half of the race but they poured the pressure on from the 1000m setting it up for Bonneval to charge home over the top. She's airborne and will be competitive in whatever they run her in. They got it wrong on Hartnell . When he jumped so well they should have rolled forward and got the soft run fourth that Black Heart Bart took, despite being much slower away. Inference is ticking over nicely running the equal fastest last section without a lot of room late.

Money Trail: Bonneval was easy $4.00 out to $4.40 before late support into $4.20. Hartnell was best backed $2.20 into $2.10. These two dominated with Black Heart Bart easy $5.50 out to $6.50.
Blackbooker: They're all headed to the Caulfield Cup apart from Black Heart Bart so hard to black book anything but Bonneval but if we did happen to strike a wet track Inference can take a nice step off this.

Race 8 - Keno Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) - G1

1st - Santa Ana Lane ($26)
2nd - Mr Sneaky ($8) - 0.8 lens
3rd - So Si Bon ($26) - 2.1 lens
Then Followed: Sovereign Nation ($21), Theanswermyfriend ($4), Tosen Stardom ($6), Scales Of Justice ($3.5 fav), Land Of Plenty ($41), Grande Rosso ($21), It's Somewhat ($21), Attention ($41), Royal Tudor ($101), Lucky Hussler ($51), Cannyescent ($31)

Analysis: Right from the start this was set up for the back markers with Attention for some reason doing everything he could to hold out Theanswermyfriend . Mr Sneaky was a little unlucky, he was travelling so well he found himself in front at the 200m and with only a short sprint he felt the pinch late to be run over by the enigmatic stable mate Santa Ana Lane . He's always promised plenty and the planets aligned here for what was a dominant win through the line. Sovereign Nation stormed home and possibly should have been in the finish after leaving the gates a clear last to be well back. Tosen Stardom is on target for the Toorak, he charged home and was out on the 9m line where the track was inferior from the last meeting. The luckless runner was Land Of Plenty covering a stack of ground mostly four deep.

Money Trail: Theanswermyfriend was clearly the best backed runner, he eased to $4.60 before starting $4. Scales Of Justice was solid enough $3.30 to $3.60. Sovereign Nation and Grande Rosso both had late specking $26 into $21. Mr Sneaky and Tosen Stardom were slightly easy.
Blackbooker: Land Of Plenty had no luck off the track and carted even wider on the turn. He's flying and as only a winner of a Geelong maiden he's doing an amazing job in this grade. Guessing they'll head to the Toorak but if they find something easier he's a moral.

Race 9 - Le Pine Funerals Hcp (1100m)

1st - Badajoz ($6.5)
2nd - Shaf ($21) - 1.3 lens
3rd - Hellova Street ($21) - 1.5 lens
Then Followed: Rich Charm ($4.75 fav), Hellbent ($10), Ability ($4.75 fav), Ocean Embers ($8.5), Bassett ($6), Divine Ten ($51), Lord Von Costa ($21), Lizard Island ($101), We've Got This ($101)

 

Analysis: No excuses for anything in the last. They ran along at a good solid tempo and the dream run Badajoz received along the rails was the difference, he only went around the one horse and put them away over the last 50m. Shaf has returned in good shape, he did a bit early to hold the rails and only peaked on his run the last 50m. Rich Charm was held up at the 200m. he was doing his best on the line and looks on track to pick up a race over the carnival. Ability and Ocean Embers went as well as they could from out deep and well back. They've both come home in close to twenty two seconds flat for the last 400m.

Money Trail: Badajoz was easy $5.50 to $7.50 before firming into start $6.50. Ability was easy $4.20 out to $4.80 as was Rich Charm $4.40 to $4.80. Ocean Embers was specked $10 into $8.50 and Basset has support $7.50 into $6.
Blackbooker: Not a lot between the top 7 over the line but Rich Charm might be the one to follow. He came into this with only a 90 rating so he can be well placed going forward and he's a super horse up the straight so there will be a race for him at Flemington.

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