Last start Belmont Guineas winner The Underworld has been scratched from Saturday’s $125,000 Group 3 Strickland Stakes (2000m), the feature race at Belmont Park in Western Australia.

Prepared by Ascot trainer Chris Gangemi, well-bred High Chaparral three-year-old The Underworld was rated a $9 chance to upset top elects King Kool Kat and Impressive Jeuney in the 2011 Strickland Stakes tomorrow.

Gangemi made the decision to withdraw The Underworld from the race as the horse was showing signs of training off.

The Underworld made their career debut in April at Ascot and has had four runs since including back-to-back wins at Belmont in their two most recent appearances.

Last start success in the Listed Belmont Guineas (1600m) boosted the gelding’s career prize money to nearly $70,000 and saw The Underworld become a stakes winner in their first preparation.

Instead of giving the promising galloper one run too many, especially against a tough field of open company in the Strickland Stakes, Gangemi will send The Underworld for a spell ahead of the Ascot Summer Racing Carnival next season in Perth.

Darren McAuliffe’s talented Jeune mare Impressive Jeuney, runner-up to Playing God in the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic last December, has firmed into the $2.40 favourite to win the Strickland Stakes with Ian Glading’s veteran galloper and last-start Group 3 Hyperion Stakes winner King Kool Kat following closely at $2.50.