Battle lost but war far from over for Catalyst
While rugged Queenslander Alligator Blood may have taken out the first skirmish with classy New Zealand contender Catalyst, Kiwi trainer Clayton Chipperfield is confident his star can still win the war when the pair clash again in the Group I Australian Guineas (1600m) in a fortnight.
In an enthralling length-of-thestraight battle, which more than lived up to the pre-race hype, Alligator Blood withstood the ominous challenge from Catalyst by the barest of margins in Saturday’s Group III CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.
Chipperfield took the defeat on the chin, happy to get confirmation that the Darci Brahma gelding has what it takes to measure up to the best three-yearolds across the Tasman.
‘‘What a race it was and although the defeat has a sting in it, we left the course on Saturday night with a big smile on our faces,’’ Chipperfield said.
‘‘That race was all about finding out if he could match it with those top ones and I think we got the answer we were looking for.’’
While he was happy to judge the run through his own eyes it was the feedback that he received from jockey James McDonald that has really put a spring in Chipperfield’s step.
‘‘James came back in and was glowing in his praise for the horse,’’ he said. ‘‘The first thing he said was that he was looking for the 1600m and would be an even better horse when he gets over that distance.’’
Chipperfield spent time yesterday with his charge before flying home to New Zealand and was delighted with Catalyst’s powers of recovery after such a tough run.
‘‘I had expected he might be a little knackered and off his feed but all he left on Saturday night was about two handfuls,’’ he said.
‘‘He ate all his hay and drank 90 per cent of his water so I couldn’t be happier.
‘‘We put him out in his paddock this morning [Sunday] and he was a pretty happy chappy, full of himself and showing no signs of any muscle soreness or anything like that.
‘‘He will have a trot up on Monday and some light work before he gets serious in the week leading into the Australian Guineas, which is his next target.’’ NZ Racing Desk