| R8 CAULFIELD | 30 September 2018 |
| Underwood Stakes G1 3U OPEN ($752,000), 1800m 1:48.70 | |
| Race Synopsis: Homesman, staged a very smart effort in winning here, his second Group success and his first at Group 1 level from only 11 starts to date. Returning to racing in blinkers at his second run back, he showed good early pace, settled outside the leader (Grunt), put pressure on that runner from the 600m, got to the front at the nearing the 200m and then fought back gamey for a very good win. Tosen Basil settled in sixth place, improved (deep) from the 600m, moved up well at the home turn, challenged strongly at the 200m and then battled really well for a very good (short head) second in a very promising effort at his second start since coming from Japan. Humidor raced in seventh place on the rails, improved between runners at the home turn, eased deeper and into clear running at the 200m and kept running on in good style for third. Blair House was slow to move, raced at the tail of the nine-horse field until into the straight, got along the inner from the 200m and kept making ground for (2.6 lengths) fourth in a promising run at his first start since March and his first start in Australia. Comin' Through settled in a handy spot, fourth on the rails, was under riding at the home turn and kept battling on for (3.9 lengths) fifth. The favourite Grunt worked in the early stages from his outside barrier (9) to lead. He was pressured approaching the home turn but disappointed over the closing stages for (4.7 lengths) sixth, seemingly preferring to be ridden off the pace, and/or going best at Flemington. Black Heart Bart finished (5.7 lengths) seventh after being handily placed but trapped wide most of the way. | |
| FP | Horse Age & Sex | Trainer Jockey | WT SP | |||||||
1st | 8. HOMESMAN (USA) 4yo Gelding | LIAM HOWLEY BEN MELHAM | 59.0 $5.00 | |||||||
| WAR FRONT (USA) - MY ANNETTE (USA) | ||||||||||
| N C Williams, Mrs & Mrs L J Williams, A L Green, Mrs B A Green, B N Singer, P Mehrten, J A Ingham, Est M S Gudinski, V J Sammartino, G T Ryan, M D Wizel, Heffernan Bloodstock & Jacobsen Bloodstock Pty Ltd | 2nd | 4. TOSEN BASIL (JPN) 6yo Horse | DARREN WEIR J ALLEN | 59.0 $67.00 | ||||||
| HARBINGER (GB) - CARELESS WHISPER (JPN) | ||||||||||
| Yu Long Investments (Mgr: Mrs Y Zhang), A Kheir, P Mehrten, J A O'Neil, V Kheir, B F Sokolski, Carty Racing (Mgr: B C Carty) & B D Nettleford | 3rd | 2. HUMIDOR (NZ) 6yo Gelding | DARREN WEIR DAMIAN LANE | 59.0 $7.50 | ||||||
| TEOFILO (IRE) - ZALIKA (NZ) | ||||||||||
| Jomara Bloodstock Ltd, Steeplechasers Flat, M Krauser, Dr P Goel, Mrs P Adams, B Shannon, T Ginnane, D O'Connor, B Sokolski, Walker Racing & Bloodstock, Royjohn Racing & H Bastone | ||||||||||
| 4th | 7. BLAIR HOUSE (IRE) 5yo Gelding | C APPLEBY JAMES MCDONALD | 59.0 $5.00 | |||||||
| 5th | 5. COMIN' THROUGH (AUS) 5yo Gelding | CHRIS WALLER MICHAEL WALKER | 59.0 $7.00 | |||||||
| 6th | 9. GRUNT (NZ) 4yo Horse | MICK PRICE DAMIEN OLIVER | 58.0 $3.50 | |||||||
| 7th | 1. BLACK HEART BART (AUS) 8yo Gelding | DARREN WEIR BRAD RAWILLER | 59.0 $12.00 | |||||||
| 8th | 3. AMBITIOUS (JPN) 6yo Horse | ANTHONY FREEDMAN MARK ZAHRA | 59.0 $26.00 | |||||||
| 9th | 10. BONNEVAL (NZ) 5yo Mare | MURRAY BAKER & ANDREW FORSMAN REGAN BAYLISS | 57.0 $31.00 | |||||||
