Grunt early favourite for Underwood Stakes

Last-start winner Grunt has already been well supported in a bid to add to his Group One tally in the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield.

The Mick Price-trained four-year-old opened the $4.60 equal favourite with the Darren Weir-trained Humidor when nominations closed on Monday.

He has since firmed to be the $4 top pick ahead of Humidor at $4.60 with the Charlie Appleby-trained Godolphin horse Blair House next at $6.

A total of 21 horses, including 12 Group One winners, have been nominated for the 1800m weight-for-age race on Sunday.

Grunt returned to winning form in the Group One Makybe Diva Stakes on September 15 at Flemington where he won the Australian Guineas in the autumn.

Connections decided after the Makybe Diva victory, Grunt would head to the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on October 27 rather than follow a Caulfield and Melbourne Cups path.

Leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller has entered four horses – Comin’ Through, D’Argento, Egg Tart and Unforgotten – with Comin’ Through and Egg Tart also nominated for the Hill Stakes at Randwick on Saturday and D’Argento and Unforgotten likely to run in the Epsom.

Liam Howley has the Lloyd and Nick Williams-owned Homesman, Sir Isaac Newton and The Taj Mahal nominated for both the Underwood and the Hill Stakes while Weir has also entered Black Heart Bart and Tosen Basil.

Last year’s winner Bonneval is set to return while others that hold dual nominations for the Hill Stakes are Ambitious and Prized Icon.

Race 7 – Underwood Stakes (1800 METRES)Times displayed in local time of Race Meeting
Of $750,000.1st $450,000, 2nd $135,000, 3rd $67,500, 4th $33,750, 5th $18,750, 6th $15,000, 7th $15,000, 8th $15,000
Prize money contribution totalling 2% will be directed to jockey and equine welfare prior to distribution GROUP 1
Standard Weight for Age, Three-Years-Old and Upwards, Maidens at time of entry are ineligible, Apprentices cannot claim.

Track Name: Main Track Type: Turf Track Condition: Good 4

Field Limit: 16 + 4 EM

 

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 x0x92834x6 AMBITIOUS (JPN) H 7 Anthony Freedman 109
2 23529×4968 BLACK HEART BART G 8 Darren Weir 112
3 200x22110x BLAIR HOUSE (IRE) G 6 Charlie Appleby 112
4 111x1160x9 BONNEVAL (NZ) M 5 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman 112
5 x312561x16 COMIN’ THROUGH G 5 Chris Waller 112
6 1x13714x32 D’ARGENTO H 4 Chris Waller 106
7 x400521x53 EGG TART M 5 Chris Waller 107
8 3x1111x581 GRUNT (NZ) H 4 Mick Price 113
9 7x28167x00 HARLEM (GB) G 7 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 109
10 12153x16x2 HOMESMAN (USA) G 5 Liam Howley 105
11 0x4184x817 HUMIDOR (NZ) G 6 Darren Weir 116
12 x3620x4025 INVICTUS PRINCE (GB) G 6 Matthew Smith 98
13 336717×631 MURAAQEB H 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 93
14 112x332x70 POUNAMU G 7 Alan Mathews 108
15 242630×355 PRIZED ICON H 5 Kris Lees 104
16 x77326x976 SEABURGE H 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 96
17 7x5x8650x4 SIR ISAAC NEWTON (GB) G 7 Liam Howley 101
18 11432x80x5 SULLY (NZ) G 4 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 95
19 25041x8x79 THE TAJ MAHAL (IRE) H 5 Liam Howley 107
20 x72x3x56x0 TOSEN BASIL (JPN) H 7 Darren Weir 109
21 11x0121x61 UNFORGOTTEN M 4 Chris Waller 108

 

Credit: AAP

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