The Underwood Stakes is a Group 1

Group One

Group One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...

 Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 horse race, held at Caulfield Racecourse

Caulfield Racecourse

Caulfield Racecourse is one of Melbourne, Australia's best-known horse-racing tracks. Commonly known as "The Heath" by local racegoers, it is located eight kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, on the boundary of Caulfield and Caulfield East in Melbourne's south eastern suburbs...

 in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

 Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. It is run over 1800 metres under weight-for-age conditions in late September each year. Total prize money for the race is A$350,000 with the winner receiving $210,000.

It has been won by notable champions of the past such as Heroic

Heroic (horse)

Heroic was a great Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who won 21 races from 5 furlongs to 2 miles and was a Leading sire in Australia.-Breeding:...

, Phar Lap

Phar Lap

Phar Lap was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse whose achievements captured the public's imagination during the early years of the Great Depression. Foaled in New Zealand, he was trained and raced in Australia. Phar Lap dominated Australian racing during a distinguished career, winning a Melbourne...

, Ajax, Tobin Bronze

Tobin Bronze

Tobin Bronze was an Australian Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse who competed with great success during the 1960's.A chestnut son of Arctic Explorer from the Masthead mare Amarco he proved to be a crowd favourite due to his stunning good looks and winning 24 of his 44 Australian race starts.His...

, Octagonal

Octagonal

Octagonal is a retired champion New Zealand-bred, Australian raced Thoroughbred racehorse, also known as 'The Big O' or 'Occy'. He was by the champion sire Zabeel, out of the champion broodmare Eight Carat, who also produced Group One winners Mouawad, Kaapstad, Diamond Lover and Marquise.Trained...

 and Northerly

Northerly

Northerly, foaled in 1996, was arguably Australia's best middle distance Thoroughbred horse of the early 2000s. Northerly, trained by Western Australian harness racing legend Fred Kersley, won nine Group One races, including the Australian Cup twice, and the Cox Plate, regarded as the Weight for...

.

Venue

• 1924 - 1947 held at Werribee Racing Club at Werribee Racecourse.
• 1948 onwards held at Caulfield Racecourse
  Caulfield Racecourse
  Caulfield Racecourse is one of Melbourne, Australia's best-known horse-racing tracks. Commonly known as "The Heath" by local racegoers, it is located eight kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, on the boundary of Caulfield and Caulfield East in Melbourne's south eastern suburbs...
  
  .

Distance

• 1924 - 1948 held over 8 furlongs (approx 1600m)
• 1943 - held over 7 furlongs (approx 1400m)
• 1949 - 1953 held over 9 furlongs (approx 1800m)
• 1954 - 1971 held over 10 furlongs (approx 2000m)
• 1972 - 1993 held over 2000m
• 1994 onwards held over 1800m.

• Note: two runnings in 1944.

The winners

• 2011 - Lion Tamer
• 2010 - So You Think
  So You Think
  So You Think is a New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse, now majority owned by Coolmore Stud of Ireland. So You Think came to prominence through winning the 2009 and 2010 Cox Plates, Australia's premier weight for age race. His second Cox Plate win came at just his tenth career start...
  
  
• 2009 - Heart Of Dreams
• 2008 - Weekend Hussler
  Weekend Hussler
  Weekend Hussler is a retired Australian Thoroughbred racehorse. He is a bay gelding by Hussonet out of Weekend Beauty . He is currently a six-year-old. Hussonet had been a very successful sire in Chile for Haras de Pirque where he stood for the largest fee of any stallion in the history of...
  
  
• 2007 - Rubiscent
• 2006 - El Segundo
  El Segundo (horse)
  El Segundo is a Thoroughbred racehorse. He is a bay son of Pins from the mare Palos Verdes by Flying Spur.Foaled in 2001 at Ancroft Stud, Matamata, New Zealand he was sold as a yearling for $140,000 and has spent his entire racing career in Australia under the care of trainer Colin Little.Amongst...
  
  
• 2005 - Perlin
• 2004 - Elvstroem
  Elvstroem
  Elvstroem was an outstanding bay Thoroughbred racehorse, by world champion sire Danehill from the former champion three-year-old filly, Circles of Gold.-Dam:...
  
  
• 2003 - Mummify
  Mummify
  Mummify was a popular Australian Thoroughbred racehorse that amassed in prize money and won five Group One races, including the 2003 Caulfield Cup and the Singapore Airlines International Cup....
  
  
• 2002 - Northerly
  Northerly
  Northerly, foaled in 1996, was arguably Australia's best middle distance Thoroughbred horse of the early 2000s. Northerly, trained by Western Australian harness racing legend Fred Kersley, won nine Group One races, including the Australian Cup twice, and the Cox Plate, regarded as the Weight for...
  
  
• 2001 - Northerly
• 2000 - Oliver Twist
• 1999 - Intergaze
• 1998 - Tie the Knot
  Tie the Knot
  Tie the Knot was an Australian bred Thoroughbred racehorse, who won 13 Group One races and in 1999-2000 he was voted Australian Champion Stayer.-Breeding:...
  
  
• 1997 - Always Aloof
• 1996 - Octagonal
  Octagonal
  Octagonal is a retired champion New Zealand-bred, Australian raced Thoroughbred racehorse, also known as 'The Big O' or 'Occy'. He was by the champion sire Zabeel, out of the champion broodmare Eight Carat, who also produced Group One winners Mouawad, Kaapstad, Diamond Lover and Marquise.Trained...
  
  
• 1995 - Sharscay
• 1994 - Jeune
  Jeune
  Jeune was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who raced in England and Australia and is best known for winning the prestigious Melbourne Cup in 1994. He was an attractive, muscular, chestnut stallion, who sometimes raced in pacifiers...
  
  
• 1993 - Runyon
• 1992 - Prince Salieri
• 1991 - Dr. Grace
• 1990 - The Phantom
  The Phantom (horse)
  The Phantom was a Group One winning New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who made several trips to Australia, and completed a remarkable comeback later in his career. From three to five, The Phantom's highlights included wins in the Memsie and the Underwood Stakes, and he was third in the 1989...
  
  
• 1989 - Almaarad
• 1988 - Authaal
• 1987 - Rubiton
  Rubiton
  Rubiton was a champion Australian Thoroughbred racehorse of the mid-1980s.He was bred by the Oamaru Stud in Victoria...
  
  
• 1986 - Bonecrusher
  Bonecrusher (horse)
  Bonecrusher Is a retired champion New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who was widely admired in both Australia and New Zealand. Bred by Bill Punch, his dam's sire was a son of a French champion, Tantieme. Bonecrusher was purchased by Peter Mitchell for just $3,250 at the Waikato Yearling Sales,...
  
  
• 1985 - Tristarc
• 1984 - Bounty Hawk
• 1983 - Trissaro

• 1982 - Fearless Pride
• 1981 - Sovereign Red
• 1980 - My Brown Jug / Waitangirua (dead heat)
• 1979 - Valley Of Georgia
• 1978 - So Called
• 1977 - Denise's Joy
• 1976 - How Now
• 1975 - Taras Bulba
• 1974 - Frozen Section
• 1973 - Scotch And Dry
• 1972 - Sobar
• 1971 - Gay Icarus
• 1970 - Big Philou
  Big Philou
  Big Philou was a notable New Zealand bred Thoroughbred racehorse. He was by the good sire Le Filou from Pink Lady by Contact and he was trained by Bart Cummings....
  
  
• 1969 - Rain Lover
  Rain Lover
  Rain Lover was a champion Australian Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the very few horses to win the Melbourne Cup more than once. Rain Lover was sired by the good racehorse, Latin Lover his dam Rain Spot was by Valognes .He was owned and bred by Clifford A. Reid, who won the 1945 Melbourne...
  
  
• 1968 - Lowland
• 1967 - Future
• 1966 - Tobin Bronze
  Tobin Bronze
  Tobin Bronze was an Australian Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse who competed with great success during the 1960's.A chestnut son of Arctic Explorer from the Masthead mare Amarco he proved to be a crowd favourite due to his stunning good looks and winning 24 of his 44 Australian race starts.His...
  
  
• 1965 - Future
• 1964 - Contempler
• 1963 - Havelock
• 1962 - Aquanita
• 1961 - Aquanita
• 1960 - Lord
• 1959 - Trellios
• 1958 - Lord
  Lord (horse)
  Lord was a New Zealand-born Thoroughbred racehorse who raced successfully in Australia. He was a bay gelding by Targui out of Broadway , by Actor . Lord is remembered for his 1960 Victoria Racing Club Queen's Plate effort in which he nearly defeated the champion Tulloch, who was returning after...
  
  
• 1957 - Syntax
• 1956 - Ray Ribbon
• 1955 - Cromis
• 1954 - Flying Halo
• 1953 - Flying Halo

• 1952 - Ellerslie
• 1951 - Laurie Hussar
• 1950 - Beau Gem
• 1949 - Beau Gem
• 1948 - Royal Gem
  Royal Gem
  Royal Gem was a versatile Thoroughbred racehorse that won 23 races ranging from 5 furlongs to 12 furlongs...
  
  
• 1947 - Attley
• 1946 - Attley
• 1945 - St. Fairy
• 1944 - Amana
• 1944 - Tea Cake
• 1943 - Gay Revelry
• 1942 - not held
• 1941 - Sun Valley
• 1940 - Ajax
• 1939 - Ajax
• 1938 - Ajax
• 1937 - Young Idea
• 1936 - Peter Fils
• 1935 - Young Idea
• 1934 - Hall Mark
• 1933 - Hall Mark
• 1932 - Liberal
• 1931 - Phar Lap
  Phar Lap
  Phar Lap was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse whose achievements captured the public's imagination during the early years of the Great Depression. Foaled in New Zealand, he was trained and raced in Australia. Phar Lap dominated Australian racing during a distinguished career, winning a Melbourne...
  
  
• 1930 - Waterline
• 1929 - Highland
• 1928 - Highland
• 1927 - Royal Charter
• 1926 - Heroic
  Heroic (horse)
  Heroic was a great Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who won 21 races from 5 furlongs to 2 miles and was a Leading sire in Australia.-Breeding:...
  
  
• 1925 - Whittier
• 1924 - Whittier