Mourinho, Stratum Star Win at Caulfield
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Photo: Mark Gatt
Mourinho (outside) gets the victory in the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield racecourse.
With the bob of his head, Mourinho prevailed in a close three-horse finish in the Underwood Stakes (Aus-I) Sept. 26 at Caulfield racecourse.
The race was one of two top-level events on the card. One race later, Stratum Star captured the Sir Rupert Clarke (Aus-I) for sprinters.
Mourinho narrowly won from runner-up Fawkner and cult turf star The Cleaner, securing the first group I win for trainer Peter Gelagotis and a start in next month's W. S. Cox Plate (Aus-I).
The Cleaner bounded out of the gates and into the lead, setting a smart pace with the field strung out behind him. Hi World, Mourinho, and Volkstok'n'barrell did their best to keep on the pace and as the field swung for home The Cleaner clung to the lead. In the stretch, he came under pressure from Fawkner, Mourinho, and Mongolian Khan.
The Cleaner refused to give in, and he crossed the line with Mourinho, who won by a nose from Fawkner. The Cleaner was a nose back in third, and Mongolian Khan 1 12 lengths back in fourth.
Guided by Vlad Duric, Mourinho was timed in 1:48.83 for 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) on good turf.
Mourinho, an 8-year-old gelding by Oratorio—Benevolent, by Generous, improved to
11-4-5, including five other group wins, from 38 career starts. He is campaigned by a large ownership group.
The Sir Rupert Clarke resulted in another photo finish, with Stratum Star getting the win by a nose from favorite Disposition, with Under The Louvre a nose back in third, and pacesetter Strawberry Boy a neck behind in fourth.
With Craig Williams aboard for Darren Weir, Stratum Star got up for his first group win, covering 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs) in 1:22.09. The 4-year-old son of Stratum came in off a very close third in the New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie (Aus-I) and last season was a neck third in the Australian Guineas (Aus-I).
Bred by Widden Stud Australia and raced by a large ownership group, including several members of the Davidson family, Stratum Star has a 4-5-4 record from 18 starts. His dam is the Pins mare Purely Spectacular.