Boom Perth gelding The Underworld (NZ) looked a galloper of the future when he took out the Listed Belmont Stakes (1600m) on Saturday.
The Underworld (3g High Chaparral – Rune by Star Way) charged home from the rear of the field to defeat Cavallo Pazzo (Not A Single Doubt) and Private O’Dea (O’Reilly).
Trainer Chris Gangemi has lofty goals in sight for The Underworld. He is by the same sire as So You Think and will target older horses in Saturday week’s G3 Strickland Stakes (2000m).
“The Strickland is at weight-for-age race and will give us a good guide to his Ascot carnival prospects,” trainer Chris Gangemi said. “We will turn him out and then look towards the Railway Stakes (1600m) and Kingston Town Classic (1800m) in the summer.”
A Windsor Park graduate, The Underworld (NZ) was a $50,000 purchase from Windsor Park at the NZB Ready to Run Sale in 2009.
His dam Rune is a sister to the Caulfield Stakes, Rosehill Guineas and Champagne Stakes winner Sky Chase (Star Way). It’s also the family of the New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Vice Regal (Bismark) and the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Kindacross (Cape Cross).
The Underworld’s share of the Belmont Guineas purse sent High Chaparral’s Australian earnings past $7.03 million. The Perth galloper is in good company among the four Australian stakes winners sired by the Coolmore shuttler this season.
The other three are So You Think, Descarado and Shoot Out!