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G1 placing keeps Hartnell on track at Caulfield

Mike Hedge

A second placing for Hartnell in the G1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield on Sunday has left trainer James Cummings and his team satisfied that the gelding is on track for the G1 Caulfield Cup on October 21.

Hartnell (Kerrin McEvoy) drew wide and settled near the tail of the field before setting out after the leaders at the 600m, running on resolutely to finish a length from the winner Bonneval.

“They went for home a long way out and he had to do a lot of chasing, but in the end I was happy with the way he worked home,” Cummings said.

“I’m very pleased with where he is at this stage.”

The Underwood was Hartnell’s second successive G1 placing after he won convincingly at 1400m when resuming on August 19.

Cummings believes the son of Authorized will continue to improve as the distance of his races gets beyond the 1700m of Saturday’s event.

On the same Caulfield card, the G1 Caulfield Guineas prospect Kementari turned in a strong trial for the first Classic of the Australian Season when he finished third in the G3 Guineas Prelude.

Kementari raced kindly behind the leaders and was finishing better than any other horse to go down by a length to Perast and Summer Passage.

“I’m really pleased with that run,” Cummings said. 

“He was doing his best work at the finish but the best aspect of it was that he’s had the experience at Caulfield and I think that will be a huge advantage when it comes to the Guineas.”

The momentum built by the wins in Sydney this weekend by Alizee’s win in the G1 Flight Stakes and of Ataraxia at Listed level continued for the stable at Caulfield when Badajoz scored impressively in the non-graded Le Pine Funerals Handicap.