The number of Chris Waller’s acceptors for the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield will be decided by the barrier draw and the anticipated race dynamics.
Waller has nominated six horses for the Group 1 weight-for-age race over 1800m 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 is inclined to send Aeliana and Lindermann to Melbourne but will await acceptances and review the barrier draw before finalising his plans.
“Blake Shinn is booked to ride in the Underwood if he comes down, so we’re well prepared,” Waller commented. “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 returned to winning form in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 5, having previously finished ninth behind Autumn Glow in the Winx Stakes (1400m) last month.
Aeliana, who finished behind Lindermann in the Winx Stakes, stayed in Sydney after being scratched from the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last Saturday.
Aeliana’s only start since returning from a spell saw her finish last behind Autumn Glow.
“Her first-up run was disappointing,” Waller said. “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 Underwood Stakes.
Both horses were scratched from the Makybe Diva Stakes last weekend and had a 1000m jump-out at Flemington last Friday.
Waller believes it was the correct decision to bypass the Makybe Diva Stakes with 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 stated. “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 had a gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday with Shinn in the saddle, and the jockey was pleased with the stayer’s condition.
The 2023 Melbourne Cup runner-up has had only one run since, finishing near the back of the field in the Heatherlie Handicap (1700m) on August 29, following an injury-induced 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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