Underwood Stakes - How Strong A Caulfield Cup Guide Is It?

Kristen Manning

Editor

Last updated: Thu 17 Sep 2026 06:42

Kristen Manning 3 hours ago

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The Underwood Stakes has long been a key spring lead-up to the Caulfield Cup
Northerly, Mummify and Elvstroem all completed the Underwood-Caulfield Cup double
Recent Cup winners Without A Fight and Duke De Sessa also came through the Underwood

Elvstroem wins the 2004 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield under Nash Rawiller. (Getty)

Always an exciting feature of the early stages of the spring carnival, the Group 1 Underwood Stakes boasts an impressive honour roll, having been won by the likes of Phar Lap, Hall Mark, Ajax, Lord, Aquanita, Rain Lover, Bonecrusher, Rubiton, Jeune, Octagonal and So You Think.

More Recent History
A Decade Of Underwood/Caulfield Cup Runners

It has proven to be a launching pad for further success, but how often is it a good guide to the Caulfield Cup? We take a look.

There was a golden patch in Underwood Stakes history when it came to producing Caulfield Cup winners, with three consecutive winners between 2002 and 2004 taking their weight-for-age form to Group 1 handicap glory.

Northerly, Mummify and Elvstroem.

Three pretty decent horses!

Northerly is one of 11 horses to win the Underwood more than once, something 2024 winner Buckaroo hopes to achieve as he contests the race for a third time, having finished second to Sir Delius last year.

Whittier, Highland, Hall Mark, Young Idea, Ajax, Attley, Beau Gem, Flying Halo, Aquanita and Alligator Blood are the other multiple Underwood winners.

Northerly's first Underwood win in 2001 was followed by victories in the Caulfield Stakes and W.S. Cox Plate, while the following year he went on to take out the Caulfield Cup, defeating Fields Of Omagh after winning the Turnbull Stakes along the way.

Mummify's Underwood win in 2003 was followed by an unplaced run in the Turnbull Stakes and a second in the Caulfield Stakes before his Caulfield Cup victory, while Elvstroem won both the Turnbull and the Cup, memorably holding off a late finish from Makybe Diva.

More Recent History

Only one of last year's Underwood runners contested the Caulfield Cup, with Middle Earth unplaced in both races.

There was more involvement in 2024, with Caulfield Cup winner Duke De Sessa boxing on after making the pace in the Underwood, finishing fourth behind Buckaroo, who went on to finish second in the Caulfield Cup.

Fifth home in that Underwood was Deny Knowledge, who also ran fifth in the Cup, while Coco Sun and Knight's Choice were out of the placings in both contests.

In 2023, Without A Fight resumed in the Underwood Stakes, finishing off nicely for sixth before winning the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups at his next two starts. Soulcombe and Right You Are also contested both races without placing.

Last in the 2022 Underwood, Nonconformist was the only runner from the race to contest the Caulfield Cup that year, again finishing out of the placings. It was a similar story the previous year, with The Chosen One the only horse to contest both races and finishing unplaced in each.

The Chosen One was certainly durable, also lining up in both races in 2020, when he finished second-last in the Underwood before running third behind Verry Elleegant in the Caulfield Cup. He also contested both in 2019, finishing unplaced in each, while Hartnell likewise failed to place in either race that year.

Homesman dug deep to win the 2018 Underwood and carried that form into the Caulfield Cup, where he was narrowly beaten by Best Solution.

The 2017 Underwood winner Bonneval pulled up lame after starting third favourite in the Caulfield Cup, while Single Gaze, after sticking on well for fourth in the Underwood, produced a brave second behind longshot winner Boom Time three weeks later. Inference and He's Our Rokkii were unplaced in both races.

No horses contested both races in 2016.

A Decade Of Underwood/Caulfield Cup Runners

Across that 10-year period, 19 Underwood runners went on to contest the same year's Caulfield Cup.

Two Underwood winners, Buckaroo and Homesman, subsequently ran placings in the Cup, while two Caulfield Cup winners, Duke De Sessa and Without A Fight, came through the Underwood after finishing fourth and sixth respectively.

Two of last year's runners – runner-up Buckaroo and 10th-placed Middle Earth – are having another go this Saturday. Attrition, who was unplaced two years ago, also lines up.

In terms of jockeys, Ben Melham, who rides Birdman, is the only previous Underwood-winning rider in this year's field, having partnered Homesman to victory in 2018.

Chris Waller, who saddles up Lindermann, Buckaroo, Birdman and Aeliana, won the race with Buckaroo two years ago and Foreteller in 2014.

All but one of this year's nine runners are Group 1 winners, with Aeliana the only multiple Group 1 winner in the field.

And for a touch of breeding trivia, Middle Earth and Buckaroo are half-brothers. Middle Earth and Kingswood are both by the late Roaring Lion, while another three runners descend from the same Sadler's Wells sire line.