The Group 1 $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 28 is calling for the outstanding Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained champion Alligator Blood who won his sixth Group 1 in the Underwood Stakes 2023 at Caulfield on Saturday.
2023 Underwood Stakes winner Alligator Blood is Cox Plate-bound this October. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The son of All Too Hard won the Underwood in 2022 at Sandown Hillside and returned with the $750,000 event returning to Caulfield in 2023 to go back-to-back for the first time since Northerly (2001-02).
Damien Oliver celebrated another elite level success on his way to retirement with tears all round following his impressive ride aboard the evergreen seven-year-old.
“He’s not going to go out without a bang!” co-trainer Waterhouse said of Oliver when speaking to Racing.com after the race.
Alligator Blood was on the quick back-up off a second to the brilliant Mr Brightside in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last weekend.
Mr Brightside is proving the form horse of the season and that further proved true in the Underwood with the Gator fit third-up and relishing a step-up to 1800m.
After getting caught back, Oliver had to go wide on Alligator Blood who eventually got into his rhythm to settle second in the run.
On the home straight the favourite hit top gear, going forward to take over the lead with 300m to go before extending inside the final furlong with a beautiful late surge.
“It’s so lovely that he could deliver. So many people came here today to see Alligator Blood,” Waterhouse said.
“It was a fabulous win today. He got shuffled back to fifth, had to come three wide then he got into that lovely rhythm that he’s got, that great stride.”
In second was the always-honest Tuvalu a length beaten, while the Edward Cummings-trained Duais was huge at 25/1 charging through the line to run third in a nice spring cups trial from the Group 1 winning mare.
The Group 1 $750,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington October 7 looks a nice next-up assignment for Alligator Blood.
Following that the team has him on track for the 2023 Ladbrokes Cox Plate where he will be out to improve on his fifth behind the since-retired Anamoe last year only two lengths beaten as a 20/1 outsider.
“I’ll speak with Adrian, we may go to the Turnbull,” Waterhouse said.
“Today we backed him up today so that gives us a few more options, but that’s exactly where we want to be.
“We want to be at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day.”
