Alligator Blood will be in action one more time this spring on VRC Champions Day, but which race is still to be decided.
Co-trainer Gai Waterhouse said it would be either the Kennedys Champions Mile, which he won last year, or the TAB Champions Stakes at Flemington on November 11.
“He’ll go to the Championship Day. As to which race he’ll run in, I’ll leave that up to Adrian (Bott) and his owners. Then he’ll have a break,” Waterhouse said.
The Hall of Fame trainer said Alligator Blood went to the beach on Sunday morning and he looked in great order.
Waterhouse is in awe of what Alligator Blood has produced this spring with two Group 1 wins and a second, third and fourth at that level from five starts.
“He’s such a fabulous horse. We are so privileged to be training him,” she said.
“That was such a great run in the Cox Plate. His sparring partner Mr Brightside just got in front of him and it took the best horse in the whole of Asia to come down and defeat our two stars. They gave their best. The riders were superb as well.”
Waterhouse and Bott will nominate Princess Grace for the Empire Rose Stakes.
“I thought she was good at Flemington last start. She’s a mare who needs a mile-plus and you’ll see her at her best,” she said.
They will also be represented by three-year-old colt Butch Cassidy in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.
He hasn’t started since he finished fourth in the Golden Rose Stakes.
“He’s been exceptionally consistent. He’s a gun sprinter and he worked brilliantly on Saturday morning.”
Ganbare, who finished third in the Spring Champions Stakes, will back up in the Victoria Derby, and the stable will also have Gold Bullions in the race.
– racing.com
