THE SUNSHINE COAST NEWSPAPER COLUMN: A BIG TEST IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE FOR ALLIGATOR BLOOD

By Graham Potter | Friday, February 28, 2020

Graham Potter writes a weekly column for the Sunshine Coast daily. Due to demand from those having trouble accessing the paper these columns are now also published on HRO courtesy of the Sunshine Coast daily.

When voting closed for the All-Star Mile, a $5 million race to be contested at Caulfield on March 14, the Sunshine Coast star racehorse Alligator Blood had won another race by landing 18 502 votes which put him more than 6000 votes clear of the ‘runner-up’ Melody Belle.

The All-Star Mile is marketed as a ‘race like no other’ in that the first ten acceptances in the field are decided by a public vote. It was that vote which emphasised the outright popularity of Alligator Blood across the board, which has grown with each passing performance of the ‘never-say-die’ racehorse whose exhilarating clash with the very smart Catalyst in his last outing gave both his trainer and his jockey their career highlights.

Alligator Blood’s next assignment is the $1 million Australian Guineas at Flemington this Saturday and, it is fair to say, the race takes on double edged importance in terms of what happens on the day and also in the aftermath.

Firstly, there is the no small matter of the prospect of Alligator Blood securing his first Group 1 success (which, incidentally, will also be the first Group 1 win for jockey Ryan Maloney. Trainer David Vandyke has been there before). Only eight runners will face the starter in the Guineas but lack of field size doesn’t negate the difficulty involved.

Catalyst will be pushing hard for revenge. Alabama Express is aiming at a hat trick of wins. The Western Australia raider Superstorm isn’t there to just make up the numbers. The Godolphin owned Chenier, who finished third behind Alligator Blood and Catalyst last time, is only lightly raced and sure to show improvement.

It is always a tough gig at the elite level.
______________________________________________________________________

Whatever the result … the next decision to be made by Alligator Blood’s connections would not have anything to do about whether he wins or loses … but it will be based on how he takes the race. Both another titanic battle and a win or a game effort and a defeat will leave Alligator Blood’s connections facing the same question.

Will they take Alligator Blood further … and go on to the All-Star Mile?

Trainer David Vandyke, for whom the welfare of his horse always come first, has made it quite clear that he will not hesitate to side in the horse’s favour and send Alligator Blood out to the paddock if he gets any inkling that the horse has had enough this time in.

So, it is a race of enormous importance for Alligator Blood and his connections.

A Group 1 win and an all-clear bill of health to tackle the All-Star Mile would be the ideal outcome and that is what 18 502 people who voted for him and the whole of the Sunshine Coast will be hoping for.

But … this is racing … so all options, some we might not even have thought of yet, remain on the table.

More articles