Waller Holds Strong Hand in Underwood Stakes

Champion trainer Chris Waller will run Buckaroo (GB), Lindermann (AUS), and Birdman (IRE) in the 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8-mile) weight-for-age Underwood Stakes (G1) Sept. 19 at Caulfield Racecourse. Buckaroo won this race in 2024, but has failed to find the winner's circle in 14 subsequent starts, though he has finished second or third in seven group 1 events since his Underwood victory. This will be his second start of the season after a fifth in the Memsie Stakes (G1) Aug. 29. Stablemate Birdman finished just behind Buckaroo in sixth in the Memsie, which was also his first start of the season. However, his fall campaign was strong with wins in the Blamey Stakes (G2) and Peter Young Stakes (G2), and a season-ending victory in the Doomben Cup (G1), his first group 1 success. Waller's last entrant, Lindermann, was cross-entered in the 7 Stakes (G2), but will stay in the Underwood. "He deserves his chance in a group 1 race," Waller said of Lindermann. "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 ran ninth first up in the Winx Stakes (G1) at Randwick Racecourse before bouncing back to win the Chelmsford Stakes (G2) over 1,600 meters (about 1 mile) by 1 3/4 lengths. Kingswood to take up Underwood nomination Last year's Zabeel Classic (G1) winner Kingswood (GB) is set to take up his nomination for Saturday's Underwood Stakes, with trainer Gavin Bedggood sticking to his original plan. The 7-year-old son of Roaring Lion had also been entered for the Naturalism Stakes (G3) on the same card, but the Underwood remains the plan following Kingswood's first-up Heatherlie Stakes success last month. "I threw in a nom for the Naturalism in case something happened," Bedggood said. "He's as good as I could have him and he's improved from his first-up run and I suppose Saturday will be a good test to see where he sits against that caliber of horse. He was pretty screwed down first-up but with improvement to come. "He definitely hasn't regressed. His coat has improved and his last two Monday mornings have been great, so I wouldn't swap my horse for any other in the race." Autumn Glow Faces Small Field The reigning Australian Horse of the Year Autumn Glow (AUS)will face Aeliana (NZ) in the 7 Stakes Saturday at Randwick. Only three other horses—Ceolwulf (NZ), Gringotts (NZ), and Idle Flyer (AUS)—are scheduled to start in the AU$1 million event. The 1,600-meter (about 1-mile) race has Autumn Glow's connections a bit wary of a tactical contest. Waller's assistant Charlie Duckworth said: "If she runs the same figures, then she should win. But if she gets cluttered up... you see more hard-luck stories in a small field than you do in a field of 16." Joliestar Returns to Australia in Shorts Joliestar (AUS), who finished third in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1) during the Royal Ascot meet in Great Britain, returns to race in her home country Saturday in The Shorts Stakes (G2) at Randwick Racecourse. If she performs up to expectations, the 6-year-old mare owned by Cambridge Stud could have her third tilt in The Everest (G1) next month against Ka Ying Rising (NZ). Cambridge Stud chief executive Henry Plumptre said. “She looks well, she has worked well, and Chris (Waller) is happy to go to the races with her. I think it is a good option to run her in a group 2 first up and see how she goes.”