It’s all systems go for Alligator Blood
QUEENSLAND idol Alligator Blood continues to astound his trainer David Vandyke as he prepares to cap a memorable season in the $5 million All-Star Mile at Caulfield on Saturday.
Alligator Blood, to be ridden by Gold Coast jockey Ryan Maloney, is favourite for the All-Star Mile (1600m) and Vandyke says the threeyear-old will front up in great order for what will be his 10th and final start of the 2019-20 season.
The winner of 10 of his 11 starts including the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at his most recent appearance at Flemington last Saturday week, Alligator Blood was $2.70 favourite with Ladbrokes last night after drawing barrier 10 of 15.
New Zealand champion Melody Belle is second favourite at $4.50 and has barrier five in a field that includes 10 individual Group 1 winners.
“I’m happy with barrier 1 1x45 KOLDING Chris Waller Hugh Bowman 7 2 29x6 BLACK HEART BART Lindsey Smith Brad Rawiller 6 3 1x23 FIERCE IMPACT Matthew Smith Craig Williams 12 4 1x42 REGAL POWER Grant & Alana Williams William Pike 3 5 x321 STREETS OF AVALON Shane Nichols Ben Melham 11 6 0x84 SO SI BON David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig Luke Nolen 9 7 002x MR QUICKIE Phillip Stokes Damien Oliver 4 8 1x88 STAR MISSILE Greg Eurell Craig Newitt 2 9 12x3 MELODY BELLE Jamie Richards Opie Bosson 5 10 20x5 ARISTIA Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra Dwayne Dunn 8 11 11111 ALLIGATOR BLOOD David Vandyke Ryan Maloney 10 12 x355 DALASAN Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas Jamie Kah 13 13 4x12 SUPERSTORM Grant & Alana Williams Mark Zahra 14 14 13x4 HEART OF PUISSANCE Ciaron Maher & David Eustace John Allen 1 15 4x16 FLIT James Cummings Damian Lane 15
16 x536 SPANISH REEF 17 x553 ADMIRAL’S JOKER 18 83x4 GOLD FIELDS
10,” the Sunshine Vandyke said.
“We’ve been drawing some very good barriers of late, one and two at his past two starts, so I was expecting a double figure and 10 is OK.
“Streets Of Avalon is on our outside in barrier 11. We’ll
Coastbased probably go forward with him and, as Ryan said, it gives him a bit of time to think.”
Alligator Blood’s only blemish was when a photofinish second to Super Seth in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) last spring.
As he does after every 59kg 59kg 59kg 59kg 59kg 59kg 59kg 59kg 57kg 57kg 56kg 56kg 56kg 56kg 54kg $11 $41 $10 $10 $41 $61 $12 $126 $5 $61 race, Vandyke has monitored Alligator Blood’s recovery since his memorable Australian Guineas win and is happy to press on with All-Star Mile plans.
“He galloped well morning,” Vandyke said.
“He keeps astounding us. this
He’s been up since last May and he’s in as good a shape as we’ve seen him so we’re looking forward to Saturday and I think he is too.
“He came through the Australian Guineas about the same as he came through the CS Hayes Stakes (a start earlier) and it wouldn’t have taken much for us to go to the paddock and give him a break.
“But I’m happy enough that he’s going to be in pristine condition come Saturday.”
New Zealand trainer Jamie Richards’ father Paul, who is looking after 10-time Group 1 winner Melody Belle in Melbourne, was pleased with the mare’s draw, saying it gave jockey Opie Bosson options.
Fierce Impact’s trainer Matthew Smith would have preferred a better draw than 12 but cannot fault the Japanese-bred entire who won the Group 1 Toorak Handicap and Cantala Stakes last spring from wide barriers.