One-time Caulfield Cup favourite Russian Camelot is the standout early entry for the Underwood Stakes 2020 taking place as part of a bumper weekend of Group 1 racing action down under.

Russian Camelot is hot favourite to win the 2020 Underwood Stakes second-up at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo: Jenny Barnes.

Following Friday night’s Moir Stakes meeting at The Valley, elite level racing heads to Caulfield with the running of the Group 1 $750,000 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m).

A key lead-up into the $5 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) held back at the track on October 17, the Underwood Stakes nominations drew 18 early entries with a potential Spring Cups’ agenda.

Sitting top of the all-in Underwood Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying a short $2.50 for the win is SA Derby champ Russian Camelot for last year’s Melbourne Cup winning trainer Danny O’Brien.

The four-year-old Camelot entire kicked off his campaign at Flemington on September 12 finishing just a neck back second in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) run over the mile.

The proven stayer is tipped to relish a step-up in distance second-up as he prepares to take on his last start conqueror with the Makybe Diva winner Fierce Impact also nominated for the Underwood this weekend.

Weekend Hustler (2008) was the last horse to complete the Makybe Diva – Underwood Stakes double in the same year, a feat the Matthew Smith-trained Deep Impact seven-year-old Fierce Impact is at $11 to do so this season.

The Japanese-bred entire was good second-up off the Group 1 Winx Stakes third in Sydney and has winning form up to 2000m making him a danger again in the Underwood at a nice price.

Following Russian Camelot in the all-in Underwood markets at $4.60 meanwhile is the back in form WA-based mare Arcadia Queen.

Winner of the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic over 2000m as a filly, the now five-year-old daughter of Pierro also races third-up this weekend looking for her first victory since September last year.

The Grant & Alana Williams-trained mare has been plagued by hoof issues, but looked the goods with a strong second from a wide barrier (12 of 13) behind Pretty Brazen in Flemington’s Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) on September 12.

The form from that race was franked with the upset winner Pretty Brazen going on to place third to goliath SA star Behemoth in Caulfield’s Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) last weekend.

The only other single-figure Underwood Stakes fancy in the pre-field markets is the Mr Quickie ($7.50).

Phillip Stokes’ Shamus Award five-year-old has a solid Caulfield strike-rate with one win and three seconds from six starts at the Melbourne track.

He comes off a second here from August 29 behind subsequent Sir Rupert champ Behemoth in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) and should eat-cup the extra metres fitter for the run this Saturday.

At longer odds chasing an upset are the likes of Fierce Impact’s Feehan Stakes third-placed stablemate Harbour Views ($10) and dual Cox Plate placegetter Humidor ($11), the latter now with star Sydney horseman Chris Waller.

Humidor, who was a regular rival to Waller’s four-time Cox Plate hero Winx, debuted for his new stable on September 5 in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) and produced a fairy-tale win as a $20 outsider.

Click here for the latest futures Underwood Stakes 2020 odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of Wednesday’s final acceptances.

2020 Underwood Stakes Nominations

Table Credit: Racing Australia.