2026 Underwood Stakes Day Preview

POLITELY DUN (9) can continue his rise through the grades at Caulfield this week.

He was luckless but still finished a credible fourth when resuming this time at Flemington, while he mustered a strong turn of foot to run on from the tail of the field and win over this route last time out.

With further improvement, he gets the right conditions again this week and looks a touch of overs again at around the $11 mark (at publish).

ICY YOU (1) takes winning form and upside into Race 2 on Underwood Stakes Day.

The Pinatubo gelding has only made two appearances since debuting, finishing second over a mile at Pakenham before breaking through in utterly dominant fashion at Echuca last time out.

Obviously, this is a substantial rise in class, but the manner of his latest victory was simply too good to ignore, and he can go on with it.

PALLATON (2) has his first start for the Begg yard on Underwood Stakes Day.

Pallaton hasn’t been seen at the races since April, but he owned some fine performances last time in, winning the Zeditave Stakes over 1200m here most notably.

Having had the benefit of a couple of recent trials, he’s a first up winning previously and improves noticeably on a track rated in the Good range.

With a case to be made for plenty of them, I thought that TOLAGA BAY (11) represented each way value in Thousand Guineas Prelude betting ($7.50 at publish).

Tolaga Bay debuted with a fine performance to win over 1200m at Ballarat back in February and was immediately put away, while she picked up where she left off when running on to win at Sandown earlier this month.

She faces another rise in class into the Thousand Guineas Prelude but clearly, she has plenty of ability and upside, and I am happy to stick with her until she gives me a reason not to.

BLIND RAISE (9) has opened a justifiable favourite in Caulfield Guineas betting, in my opinion.

In just four trips to the races so far, Blind Raise has stamped himself as one to follow by winning three times, including both the Listed Anzac Day Stakes, and the McKenzie Stakes when resuming this time.

Having won his only other second up target so far, he strips fitter, will relish getting an extra furlong at this point of his preparation, and Blake Shinn retains the ride after winning on the horse last time.

I’m keen to give POINT BARROW (11) another chance second up in the How Now Stakes field.

Point Barrow has been a great horse for the Freedman yard since debuting, winning half of her ten career starts and placing a further two times, while she wasn’t out of her depth in Group 1 company a couple of times in the autumn.

I thought her first run in unideal conditions in the Moir Stakes can be forgiven, and with natural improvement back into Group 3 mares’ company, she could have a big impact this week.

COSMIC CRUSADER (3) finds a perfect Group 1 target in Saturday’s Underwood Stakes.

Having won the Northerly Stakes in his native Perth back in December, Cosmic Crusader proved too strong for his rivals in both the Bletchingly and the PB Lawrence when resuming this time before finishing third behind an outstanding Beiwacht in the Memsie last time.

In peak order this week, out to a genuine trip and with William Pike in town to ride, he rates as a key chance once again.

Caulfield Cup ballot-exemption goes on the line when a capacity Naturalism Stakes field steps out at Caulfield on Saturday, and I think it will be claimed by ZAHRANN (7).

Zahrann kicked off his career over in Ireland and the UK, picking off some nice races and finding form around some of the world’s best stayers.

While yet to win in three appearances since arriving in Australia, he returned to action in the Heatherlie Stakes last month and worked home well to finish fourth, beaten a little over a length and a half.

With natural improvement, getting out in trip and dropping in the weights, he looks to get plenty of ticks this week.

This is an outstanding and wide-open edition of the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and with a case to be made for many of them, I’m going to have a couple of bets.

LADY SHEANDOAH (1) is a multiple Group 1 winner and strips fitter for a nice performance behind Autumn Glow and Sheza Alibi in the Winx Stakes when resuming.

She was scratched from last week’s Rosehill program to instead run here, and with options in from the rails draw, I think she’ll get her chance.

One at huge Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes odds that I am also keen to be with on an each way basis is PLANET RED (10) ($23 at publish).

Planet Red has always boasted above average ability and has fought out the finish of Group 1 feature races on more than one occasion; finishing second in both the Caulfield and Australian Guineas during his three-year-old season.

He clearly needed his first-up run in the Memsie Stakes last month to tune up, but with natural improvement and dropping in the weights this week, he’s one that I think can run a cheeky race.

STEALTH OF NIGHT (15) is third up and primed to strike in the last on Underwood Stakes Day.

The Night Of Thunder mare finished down the order, though not far away from the winner when resuming over 1100m here back in July, but she turned in a vastly improved performance to only just miss over this route last time out.

With further improvement this week, and luck in the run from a wide alley, this looks a great opportunity for her to convert.