Chris Waller‘s Buckaroo produced a dominant performance to claim victory in the 2024 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield.
The gelding, ridden by Joao Moreira, stormed home to a convincing 3.5-length win over Huetor, with Pericles finishing third.
Buckaroo, coming off two strong lead-up races in Sydney, relished the step-up in distance to the 1800m. Despite a slightly sluggish start, Moreira used his trademark skills to expertly maneuver the horse into position.
“He’s begging for more ground,” said Moreira after the race. “He was strong late, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins another one.”
The victory was a special one for owner Ozzie Kheir, a passionate supporter of the racing game. “He’ll be having a couple more refreshments now!” said stable representative Charlie Duckworth.
The win opens up exciting possibilities for Buckaroo. He is now in contention for major spring races like the Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup, and even the Melbourne Cup.
“He might have answered his own question today,” said Duckworth, referring to Buckaroo’s potential distance range. “Time will tell, but I’m more than happy to be a small part of the team.”
Buckaroo is currently listed at $21 for the Cox Plate and $15 for the Caulfield Cup. Should connections choose to chase Melbourne Cup glory, punters can find him at $51 in all-in betting at Ladbrokes.
2024 Underwood Stakes Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | BUCKAROO (GB) | Chris Waller | Joao Moreira | 10 | 59kg | $9 | |||
| 2 | 4 | HUETOR (FR) | Peter Snowden | Michael Dee | 3.5L | 6 | 59kg | $61 | ||
| 3 | 2 | PERICLES | James Cummings | Blake Shinn | 4L | 11 | 59kg | $4.40 | ||
| 4 | 10 | DUKE DE SESSA (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Declan Bates | 4.75L | 8 | 59kg | $15 | ||
| 5 | 12 | DENY KNOWLEDGE (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Jye McNeil | 5L | 9 | 57kg | $17 | ||
| 6 | 13 | COCO SUN | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | Ms Jamie Kah | 5.5L | 7 | 56kg | $8.50 | ||
| 7 | 1 | VOW AND DECLARE | Danny O’Brien | Billy Egan | 5.75L | 12 | 59kg | $31 | ||
| 8 | 11 | PLACE DU CARROUSEL (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Mark Zahra | 6.1L | 5 | 57kg | $3.80F | ||
| 9 | 9 | KNIGHT’S CHOICE | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | Craig Williams | 7.35L | 3 | 59kg | $21 | ||
| 10 | 7 | FAWKNER PARK (IRE) | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | Tyler Schiller | 7.75L | 2 | 59kg | $6.50 | ||
| 11 | 6 | BOIS D’ARGENT (GB) | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | Ben Melham | 11.25L | 4 | 59kg | $18 | ||
| 12 | 3 | MUNHAMEK (GB) | Nick Ryan | Jamie Mott | 12.5L | 1 | 59kg | $41 | ||
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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