Underestimation is homing in on the Caulfield Guineas after successfully stepping up distance to win the Listed Anzac Day Stakes at Flemington.
Trainer Dean Lawson said the Al Samer two-year-old was loaded with potential and that his two wins from five starts were a bonus before his three-year-old season.
“He has always shown ability but from day one we always looked at him as being a three-year-old,” Lawson said.
“I always liked him as a Caulfield Guineas horse and that is the path we are going to take with him.
“We are looking forward to the spring and once he grows up in between the ears we are going to have a bit of fun with him.
“He’s still six months away and he’s going to be a real cracker as an autumn three-year-old.”
Underestimation was topweight in Wednesday’s 1410-metre event and gave at least three kilos to every runner but was still too classy.
Ridden by Steven Arnold, he raced on the pace all the way and rallied strongly when challenged to beat Pillar Of Creation by a long neck with Priority Road two lengths away third.
Lawson said Underestimation had already learned to relax in his races and could sustain a high cruising speed.
“Once the pressure goes on he can travel another three-quarters of a furlong (150m) before you let him down and half the time that wins him races because the others get off the bit too soon.”
Underestimation was a $52,500 yearling and has already won more than $150,000.
He posted his first win in the Listed St Albans Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on March 16 and last start finished second in the Group Three Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville.
“He went really well in Adelaide but had a bit of a tough run early in the race,” Lawson said.
“We were really looking forward to getting him over 1400 metres and now can’t wait to get him over a mile (1600m) and maybe even further.”
“I think he will run 2000 metres but wouldn’t press him for the VRC Derby (2500m) as I think that would be too soon for him.
“If it looked like he could run that far maybe we would look at the Derby in Sydney in the autumn.
“I know how much improvement, mentally, the horse has got and he’s not a super-strong horse yet.”
