THE PETLEY REPORT: ALL EYES WILL BE ON CUPS HOPE RUSSIAN CAMELOT IN THE UNDERWOOD STAKES

By Jack Petley | Saturday, September 26, 2020

Murray Baker has won the Underwood Stakes four times with The Phantom, Lion Tamer, Dundeel and Bonnieval and he has high hopes of making it five with his Cups hope The Chosen One. The Chosen One has won six of his 26 starts but he has yet to win at the highest level at weight for age. At present The Chosen One is 34th in the Caulfield Cup order of entry and a win today would make certain of a place in the field. He sits at $11 in the betting today with Russian Camelot a hot favourite and the one to beat.

Russian Camelot is an outstanding young stayer and at this stage one of my top bets for the Cup. That first up run was super behind Fierce Impact and he has evidently thrived since then. My top 3 - Russian Camelot, The Chosen One, Humidor.

Apart from Russian Camelot, O’Brien also has a powerful team for the spring in the form of last year’s Cup winner Vow and Declare, Miami Bound and Orderofhegarter, another major Cups hope, and he unleashed a very promising three-year-old at Flemington at Flemington on Wednesday … Cetshwayo, a son of Dundeel. Before the race he was at $100 and more for the Victoria Derby. Now he sits at around $25 with most agencies.

A strong card for Caulfield today with other highlights the Caulfield Guineas Prelude and the 1000 Guineas prelude. In the Caulfield Guineas Prelude Flying Award is the favourite at $5 with Oliver up and will be the one to beat after that unlucky second in the McNeil for Danny O'Brien. Top 3 for me - Flying Award, Cambourne and Crosshaven. Cambourne is 2 from 2 and is an exciting colt by Redoute's Choice while Crosshaven has won 3 of 4. This is his sternest test, but the son of Smart Missile looks up to it.

In the 1000 Guineas Prelude Instant Celebrity, by Not a Single Doubt, is 3 from 3 in SA. She looks ever so much above average. Tipping Night Raid over Instant Celebrity and Mozzie Monster.

The highlight of the Sydney meeting at Rosehill is the $1m Golden Rose with Rothfire, already chosen for the $15 million The Everest, the hot, hot favourite and the one to beat. He sits at under $2 with most agencies and since that latest win he has thrived according to reports from the Heathcote yard. Latest betting - $1.90 Rothfire. $5.50 North Pacific, $7 Peltzer, $8.50 Ole Kirk, and that colt could be the upset runner with seconds since resuming to Anders and Rothfire, both times running home strongly.

Haut Brion Her looks the one to beat in the Golden Pendant after her solid win when resuming for Chris Waller and a big win here could well gain her a slot in the $15 Everest. Main rivals … Seasons and Sweet Deal.
I am Superman rates highly in the Shannon Stakes for Team Snowden and Kerrin McEvoy with tough rivals, Just Thinkin and his new stablemate from NZ Riodini.

Love Tap is hot in the Gloaming and is solid in the market at $2.20 with Lion's Roar also one to watch as he builds to good form for John O'Shea.

In the Heritage, Forbidden Love rates well while I'm looking forward to watching Masked Crusader in the last with James McDonald up and 1400 metres looking ideal.

In NZ the smart staying mare Ladies First has her first run for some 18 months after being on the sidelines with an injured pastern. Trainer Allan Sharrock says her task will be difficult first up but he says it will give him a guide to her fitness as she strengthens for the better class races and a likely crack at the Auckland Cup which she won in 2018.

At the Valley last night Pippie, in the hands of Damian Lane, gained a brilliant win in the Gr1 Moir Stakes handling the rain affected track with ease. She set a strong pace throughout and, in the end, she had the big race in her grasp from the solid finishing Godolphin candidate Trekking and Bella Vella a game third. That gave Lane his 21st Gr1 win. The Manikato Stakes now seems on the radar for the Team Meagher trained mare.

Peter Moody is back in Group winning mood with a win with his smart three-year-old Glenfiddich in the Bill Stutt Stakes at Moonee Valley last night in the hands of Moody's great mate Luke Nolen.