Queensland star Alligator Blood can set the record straight if he can win the 1600m Group 1 $1m Australian Guineas at Flemington on Saturday.
Alligator, above in green colours, is one of the main chances in the 2020 Australian Guineas at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Alligator Blood is the winner of nine of his ten race starts with his only defeat being over the 1600m when a nose second to Super Seth in the Group 1 $2m Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas at Caulfield during the 2019 Melbourne Spring Carnival.
Trainer David Vandyke describes Alligator Blood as a complete race horse but is still hoping for a nice barrier to give him every chance of running out a strong 1600m.
“He’s the complete horse. He can pretty much do anything,” Vandyke told racing.ccom.
“Barriers will play a big part in how he goes, and we are a little bit nervous at the mile (1600m) at Flemington,”
“His only defeat – obviously he had excuses – but his only defeat has been stepping out to the mile.”
“But he’s bounced back well off the C.S. Hayes. He’s been up a while, but I think he’s still peaking.”
Alligator Blood has had a tough campaign that began during the Queensland Summer Carnival with a win in the Listed $200,000 Pages Gold Edition Plate (1200m) at Eagle Farm on December 14.
The tough three year old then went on to win the Group 3 $300,000 Magic Millions Vo Rogue Plate (1400m) at Eagle Farm on December 28 and the $2m Gold Coast Magic Millions 3yo Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast on January 11.
Vandyke was able to give Alligator Blood a brief freshen up before he came out triumph in a stirring battle with the Kiwi Catalyst for a nose win in the Group 3 $160,000 C S Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on February 15.
“He took a few days to get over that run, and I guess we’re going to find out on Saturday how much the C.S. Hayes took out of him,” Vandyke said.
“We can get all the positive signs around the stable and the track but until he gets out there on Saturday, we’re not really going to know how much last start took out of him.
“It’s just a matter of trying to keep him up. He’s had a bit of a long preparation.
“I wouldn’t say he’s come forward, but I think he’s going to run as well as he did in the C.S. Hayes.”
The Australian Guineas dual between Alligator Blood and Catalyst has already begun with the Kiwi holding a slight advantage in the betting at Ladbrokes.com.au as the early favourite at $2.60 just ahead of the Queenslander at $3.
Pre-post betting for the 2020 Australian Guineas at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.60 Catalyst, $3 Alligator Blood, $6 Chenier, $7 Alabama Express, $10 Superstorm, $15 Dalasan, $17 Soul Patch, $26 Microphone, $41 Adelaide Ace, $51 Bonvicini, Conquer, Fasino, How Womantic, Reloaded, Spend, $301 Commodus.
