The final field for the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield will be contingent on barrier draws and the anticipated race dynamics, according to trainer Chris Waller.
Waller has nominated six horses for the Group 1 weight-for-age contest over 1800 metres on Saturday: Aeliana, Buckaroo, Lindermann, Birdman, Asterix, and Soulcombe.
Aeliana and Lindermann are also entered for the Group 2 7 Stakes (1600m) at Randwick, while Asterix and Soulcombe have nominations for the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield.
Waller indicated a preference for sending Aeliana and Lindermann to Melbourne, but he will defer his final choices until acceptances are finalised and the barrier draw is known.
“Blake Shinn is booked to ride in the Underwood if he comes down, so we’re well prepared,” Waller stated. “He deserves his chance in a Group 1 race. The whole of last year was built around getting his confidence up and running against the best horses. He did run second in the Queen Elizabeth, so it was good to see him bounce back to form last start.”
Lindermann recaptured winning form in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 5, following a ninth-place finish behind Autumn Glow in the Winx Stakes (1400m) last month.
Aeliana, who finished behind Lindermann in the Winx Stakes, remained in Sydney after being scratched from the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington the previous Saturday.
Aeliana’s sole start since returning from a spell saw her finish last behind Autumn Glow.
“Her first-up run was disappointing,” Waller admitted. “We thought she was out of her comfort zone, and we saw Lindermann bounce back off a flat run in the Winx Stakes, so there is no reason why she can’t. I would like to see her draw well and when you want to get a horses confidence levels up, and you draw wide in an Underwood Stakes and well in a 7 Stakes, I’d rather keep her in Sydney, but if she draws well in the Underwood, I would say she will come down.”
Birdman and Buckaroo are confirmed starters for the race.
Both horses were withdrawn from the Makybe Diva Stakes last weekend and participated in a 1000m jump-out at Flemington last Friday.
Waller believes bypassing the Makybe Diva Stakes was the correct decision for the pair.
“It would have been hard to win last week, and Autumn Boy was good running second behind Sheza Alibi which was great for their team, and it franked the form behind Autumn Glow,” Waller commented. “I think we made the right decision and Birdman and Buckaroo will be here on Saturday. They had a trial on Friday and will have a maintenance gallop. Birdman was terrific first-up, so was Buckaroo and they’re ready to peak over 1800 metres.”
Soulcombe completed a gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday with Blake Shinn aboard, and the jockey reported no concerns with the stayer.
The 2023 Melbourne Cup runner-up has had only one start since, finishing near the tail of the field in the Heatherlie Handicap (1700m) on August 29, following an injury-enforced break.
“I think we might have had him a bit overdone in terms of his weight first-up,” Waller explained. “We worked really hard during his prep work to get weight off him to help his legs, and we might have left him with no energy. We’ve upped his energy levels, and I think he looks better in his coat. He was disappointing last start, so there is no reason why he could not bounce back. It’s a big step to win second-up, but I would like to see him be competitive.”
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