FUTURES BETTING: UNDERWOOD STAKES

WITHOUT A FIGHT’s ratings during his most recent campaign suggest he has the 2023 Underwood Stakes [1800m] at his mercy.

That is provided we see the European import perform to the same level.

Trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman are planning on taking the seven-year-old to the Underwood Stakes first-up.

The Beaten Favourite’s database shows WITHOUT A FIGHT’s career peak came first-up in the Group 3 Lord Mayors Cup at Eagle Farm over 1800. He smashed the clock posting the best last 600m, 400m and 200m of the day.

He rated a 93 [TBF Ratings out of 100], which is genuine Group 1 material. The Cox Plate last year won by ANAMOE rated 94.

Here is a look at the past 5 winners of the Underwood Stakes and their rating;

Only two horses in the last 5 years of Underwood history have rated higher than 93.

Australia's WFA ranks are hardly in a golden era. With the greatest respect to ANAMOE, who was one of the most genuine racehorses you'll see, he won the bulk of his Group 1 races running time that was slower than G1 average. It must be said, most of those victories were in races devoid of pace therefore thwarting his chance of running fast time. In most instances however, even after bonusing [used to lift a horses rating when denied the chance of running fast time], ANAMOE was running bang on average G1 time.

Here’s a look at the past 10 winners of the race together with key lead-up form

No horse over the past decade has won the Underwood Stakes resuming from a spell - you have to go way back to AJAX in 1940 to find the last winner that resumed from a spell.

But it should be noted the regime of Australian-trained stayers has changed immensely since European imports became increasingly popular.

WITHOUT A FIGHT will head to the Turnbull Stakes on October 7 before a decision is made whether to target the Caulfield Cup or Cox Plate.