Billy Healey believes that 2020 Australian Guineas winner Alligator Blood is on track this preparation after finishing sixth in (Saturday)’s Group 3 George Moore Stakes on a soft track at Doomben.
It was Alligator Blood’s first run for the campaign, where he had to lump the top weight of 61kg in the 1200m contest, which was won by Zoustyle, who led all the way.
“They ran the first 600 in 36.2 (seconds), so it was always going to be a dash home, and you can’t pick up Zoustyle and those sorts of horses when you’ve 61kg and they’ve got a weight pull on you,” Healey said.
“He’s pulled up really, really well; he had a good, healthy blow after it, which was always anticipated.
“At the end of the day, we’re well and truly over a month from his grand final, so the realistic (chances) of him going to pick up and win a race like that, especially the way it was run, it was probably not going to happen.
“He’ll push on, he’ll run in the Lough Neagh (Stakes) in a fortnight, 1400m, and he’s probably just genuinely looking for that 1400m to a mile, probably a little bit sooner than once thought, especially being a bit of an older horse now.
“He was alright, I’m not too worried about it, he’ll improve, and he still looked a bit big in the yard, which was always going to be the case.
“I’m sure once he gets to the right trip and gets down in the weights a little bit, he’ll be more competitive than yesterday (Saturday).
“People probably look at it and think, ‘disappointing’ on face value, but I wouldn’t be writing him off just yet, just until he gets a few things in his favour.”
Healey confirmed that the $1 million Magic Millions Cup over 1400m at the Gold Coast on January 15 is Alligator Blood’s grand final for this campaign.
– racing.com
