The David Vandyke-trained Caulfield Guineas runner-up Alligator Blood has run the ideal Magic Millions 3YO Guineas 2020 lead-up winning the Listed $200,000 Gold Edition Plate (1200m) in Brisbane first-up on Saturday.
Alligator Blood (pictured at Caulfield) won the Gold Edition Plate first-up on way to the 2020 Magic Millions Guineas. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The well-bred All Too Hard gelding won his opening five starts before his first loss when beaten the barest of margins by Super Seth in Caulfield’s Group 1 $2 million Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 12.
Alligator Blood was back in winning form fresh at Eagle Farm in the Gold Edition Plate, the gun three-year-old relishing an easier class of rivals to salute for the punters as the odds-on favourite.
Drawn gate five with jockey Ryan Maloney continuing associations, Alligator Blood was only away fairly from the gates and sat fourth last early in the run.
Showing nice maturity, there was no pressure to have the horse improve his position as Maloney was able to switch him off and sit back as The Odyssey pinged out from the inside alley to lead the field around.
Alligator Blood was racing three-wide as they approached the turn, looming down the outside once on the straight to go up the leader and grab the front.
Once there, nothing was stopping the runaway winner as he raced off for a commanding 2.25 length victory over the Gregory Hickman-trained Eleven Eleven ($16) in a career best performance from the brave runner-up.
Holding for third after fading over the closing stages was the pacemaker, The Odyssey ($5), nearly four lengths off the impressive winner.
It was an exhilarating race with Alligator Blood getting further back than expected, but once he was off the fence and in a winning spot on the outside, the result was no longer in doubt.
“He makes you look good,” winning hoop Maloney said.
“He just switches off beautiful.
“I always knew I was going to get a run…I just had to get him within striking distance at the 400 (metres) and he did the rest.
“Everything about him has just improved since the second in the Caulfield Guineas.
“He’s just a perfect racehorse.”
The $2 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast on January 11 is the feature summer target for Alligator Blood who dominates all-in betting at Ladbrokes.com.au firming in from $3.20 to $2.40.
“He was happy to relax, he didn’t mind being behind other runners and in a nice spot and when Ryan put him to the outside, he just started his work to the line. There was no urgency, he was very tradesman-like,” Vandyke said.
“I can’t wait for the 1400m at the Gold Coast.
“He had to work for the line, he had to run the sectionals and that’s certainly what he did.
“He’s just a beautiful animal.”
Vandyke will see how the horse pulls up and see what the warm weather is doing in Queensland before deciding whether to run the horse once more in the lead-up to Magic Millions Day in the $300,000 Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate (1400m) back at Eagle Farm on December 28.
“I’m just going to make that call closer to the Vo Rogue,” he said.
“The main agenda is the Magic Millions Guineas and I don’t want to jeopardise that.”
Click here for the latest Magic Millions 3YO Guineas 2020 odds on Alligator Blood.
