Star Queenslander Alligator Blood remains top of the futures markets on the Australian Guineas 2020 following nominations for the million-dollar Flemington feature.
Alligator Blood is early favourite to win the Australian Guineas 2020 in Melbourne. Photo: Steve Hart.
On Monday Racing Victoria took early entries for three upcoming Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival events including those for the Group 1 $1 million Kennedy Australian Guineas (1600m).
The mile classic runs at HQ on Saturday February 29 and the 2020 Australian Guineas nominations attracted a bumper 106 three-year-olds.
Heading the updated all-in Australian Guineas odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, the David Vandyke-trained Alligator Blood is at $4.20 to continue his outstanding form.
A winner of all but one of his nine career starts – when runner-up to Super Seth in the $2 million Caulfield Guineas (1600m) – the All Too Hard gelding has been flying this season.
He has won all three of his summer starts including the impressive two length victory in the Gold Coast’s $2 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) despite a horror lead-up to the event.
Vandyke this week locked-in a Melbourne bid for Alligator Blood early in the autumn with his Australian Guineas acceptance and $5 million The All-Star Mile (1600m) target at Caulfield confirmed.
“Immediately after the (Magic Millions) race I knew that his preparation was in doubt because of the way that he looked going into the race,” Vandyke told RSN927.
“Indeed, before the start I was concerned that he had run his race before he went around but like good horses do, he got the job done.
“Then he had to endure a three and a half-hour float trip back home because the freeway was still blocked.
“I thought I would give him 10 days and just forget about immediate future plans, let him have a run around the paddock and then assess him today.
“He’s in good shape and he’s ready.”
The horse will race next-up in the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on February 15 a fortnight before tackling the Australian Guineas.
“We’ll come down the week before the CS Hayes and he’ll run in the CS Hayes and if I’m happy after that the Australian Guineas,” Vandyke confirmed.
“They’re both at Flemington and then if I’m happy with him after the Australian Guineas the All-Star Mile, and then he’ll have a lengthy break.”
Close second favourite in futures Australian Guineas betting at $5 is brilliant Kiwi galloper Catalyst from the Te Awamutu stables of Clayton Chipperfield.
The Darci Brahma gelding has won his last five on the trot back home including a runaway effort in early November’s Group 1 2000 Guineas (2600m).
Proven over the mile, the bay is eyeing a trip across the Tasman to chase the autumn spoils in Melbourne and is sure to be competitive in the Australian Guineas.
Among the other standout Australian Guineas nominations in what is shaping up as an outstanding clash are Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth and the Richard Litt-trained Group 1 winner Castelvecchio last seen running second to Lys Gracieux in the Cox Plate.
Australian Guineas 2020 first acceptances close on February 18 with the latest odds on the race available here courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
2020 Australian Guineas Nominations
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 71115x | ACTING (NZ) | F | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 2 | 2115×1 | ADELAIDE ACE (NZ) | G | 3 | Lindsey Smith |
| 3 | 1x2517x1 | ALABAMA EXPRESS | C | 3 | Michael Moroney |
| 4 | 236x53x214 | ALBURQ | G | 3 | Michael Moroney |
| 5 | 1x1112x111 | ALLIGATOR BLOOD | G | 3 | David Vandyke |
| 6 | 512×72 | ANTAGONISER | C | 3 | Mark Kavanagh |
| 7 | 75x2114x3 | BANQUO | C | 3 | Danny O’Brien |
| 8 | 52x | BEAU ZOOM | C | 3 | Neville Parnham |
| 9 | 59x32x | BELLOWS | G | 3 | Michael Moroney |
| 10 | 12×142 | BIG PARADE | C | 3 | Clare Cunningham |
| 11 | 17104x | BONVICINI | F | 3 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 12 | 5x36x | BY A WHISKER | G | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 13 | 2x | CAMPESE | G | 3 | Archie Alexander |
| 14 | x2416x521x | CASSIUS | G | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 15 | 1331x4722x | CASTELVECCHIO | C | 3 | Richard Litt |
| 16 | 71x1111x | CATALYST (NZ) | G | 3 | Clayton Chipperfield |
| 17 | 11x | CHAILLOT | F | 3 | Archie Alexander |
| 18 | 17x11x | CHAINS OF HONOUR | G | 3 | Gerald Ryan |
| 19 | 12x | CHENIER | C | 3 | Anthony Freedman |
| 20 | 19x | CHEPTEGEI | G | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 21 | 34254126x | CHUCK A LUCK (NZ) | G | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 22 | – | COMMODUS | G | 3 | Mark Sues |
| 23 | 1x4x | CONFIDANT | C | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 24 | 5×14236421 | CONQUEROR | C | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 25 | 112x11251x | DALASAN | C | 3 | Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas |
| 26 | 00212 | DIODE | G | 3 | Michael Kent |
| 27 | 14x | DIRTY DEEDS (NZ) | G | 3 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra |
| 28 | 3×26 | DYNAMIC DUO | C | 3 | Tony Noonan |
| 29 | – | EMERALD CROWN | F | 3 | Nigel Blackiston |
| 30 | 2258x53x | ENOOD | F | 3 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy |
| 31 | 345x1421x | FASCINO (NZ) | F | 3 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 32 | 312x2914x | FLIT | F | 3 | James Cummings |
| 33 | 1134x | FORTRESS COMMAND | C | 3 | Gerald Ryan |
| 34 | 1×1 | FRONDEUR (NZ) | F | 3 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) |
| 35 | 4x1333x | GROUNDSWELL | C | 3 | Anthony Freedman |
| 36 | 83×121222 | HARLECH (NZ) | C | 3 | Michael Moroney |
| 37 | 332×561432 | HASSTOBEGOOD (NZ) | F | 3 | Roger James & Robert Wellwood |
| 38 | 113x | HEART OF PUISSANCE | C | 3 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 39 | 211×1 | HEART OF THE OAK | F | 3 | Gerald Ryan |
| 40 | 63×1 | HE’LL HAUNT US | G | 3 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) |
| 41 | 361043×4 | HIGH TORQUE | C | 3 | Dean Grass |
| 42 | 11 | HOW WOMANTIC | F | 3 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 43 | 52x723231x | IMPERIAL LAD | C | 3 | John Moloney |
| 44 | 5414x | INFLUENTIAL JACK | G | 3 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra |
| 45 | 6255×1 | JUST ZERENE | F | 3 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy |
| 46 | 2x | KINANE (NZ) | G | 3 | Michael Kent |
| 47 | – | KINGSHEIR (GB) | C | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes |
| 48 | 112x4501x | KUBRICK | C | 3 | Chris Waller |
| 49 | 1x5913x70x | LADY LUPINO | F | 3 | Danny O’Brien |
| 50 | 31x | LEGION OF MERIT (NZ) | G | 3 | Mitchell Freedman |
| 51 | 217x | LORD MARKEL (NZ) | C | 3 | Wendy Kelly |
| 52 | 6422x1212x | LOVING GABY | F | 3 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 53 | 5×11 | LUNAR LIGHT | F | 3 | Will Clarken |
| 54 | 1113x4274x | LYRE | F | 3 | Anthony Freedman |
| 55 | 261x | METEORITE | C | 3 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy |
| 56 | 11x5x | MEUSE | F | 3 | Anthony Freedman |
| 57 | 3x113411x | MIAMI BOUND (NZ) | F | 3 | Danny O’Brien |
| 58 | 121121x3x | MICROPHONE | C | 3 | James Cummings |
| 59 | 69×51 | MIYAKE | C | 3 | Chris Waller |
| 60 | 647×311 | MRS BECKHAM (NZ) | F | 3 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra |
| 61 | 1111x73x14 | MYSTICAL PURSUIT | F | 3 | Adam Trinder |
| 62 | 525x | NIGHT PASSAGE | F | 3 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy |
| 63 | 331 | NONCONFORMIST | G | 3 | Grahame Begg |
| 64 | 25125x78x | OUTLANDOS | G | 3 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy |
| 65 | 6153x3121x | PANCHO | G | 3 | Chris Waller |
| 66 | 2x | PARIS PIKE | C | 3 | Greg Eurell |
| 67 | 89311×632 | PARMIE | F | 3 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra |
| 68 | 11600x | PEIDRA | G | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 69 | 6217x1777x | POWER SCHEME | G | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 70 | 5x1681151x | PRETTY BRAZEN | F | 3 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy |
| 71 | 5x832x | RECOGNISE | F | 3 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy |
| 72 | 123x | RELOADED | C | 3 | Chris Waller |
| 73 | 1x452132x | RIDDLE ME THAT | G | 3 | Matt Laurie |
| 74 | 6×11 | RING OF HONOUR | G | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 75 | 5x | ROYAL CROWN | G | 3 | Michael Kent |
| 76 | 9914×44 | RUTHERFORD | C | 3 | Robbie Griffiths |
| 77 | 112x | SASSY SALITAGE | F | 3 | Greg Eurell |
| 78 | 2211x | SAVVY LAD (NZ) | G | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 79 | 19x | SCOTTISH DANCER | G | 3 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) |
| 80 | 313x | SEA DRAGON | C | 3 | Michael Kent |
| 81 | 15x | SELICA (NZ) | F | 3 | Phillip Stokes |
| 82 | 214x3115x | SHADOW HERO | G | 3 | Mark Newnham |
| 83 | 17x4410x | SHIFTY SHAMUS | G | 3 | Matt Laurie |
| 84 | 20x760x | SHOTMAKER | C | 3 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) |
| 85 | 21240x | SNAPDANCER | F | 3 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 86 | 1x21813x | SOUL PATCH | C | 3 | Ken Keys |
| 87 | 7x1223x | SOUTHBANK | F | 3 | Anthony Freedman |
| 88 | 1x | SPEND | C | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes |
| 89 | 3 | STANDING BEAR | G | 3 | Brenden Mackay |
| 90 | 24x | STICKING POINT | F | 3 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra |
| 91 | – | STRADARI | G | 3 | Cindy Alderson |
| 92 | 28218x500x | STRASBOURG | C | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
| 93 | 113x1651x | SUPER SETH | C | 3 | Anthony Freedman |
| 94 | 32154x | SUPERSTORM | G | 3 | Grant & Alana Williams |
| 95 | 01141x | THE HOLY ONE (NZ) | C | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 96 | 51×21 | THINK ’N’ FLY | C | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 97 | 653x25110x | THOUGHT OF THAT | C | 3 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 98 | 4 | TIGNANELLO (NZ) | G | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 99 | 7313027x | VEGAS KNIGHT | G | 3 | Colin Little |
| 100 | – | VETO | C | 3 | Frankie Stockdale |
| 101 | 74x34121x | WARNING | G | 3 | Anthony Freedman |
| 102 | 355x22x212 | WEDGETAIL | G | 3 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy |
| 103 | 313x | WESTERN SUN | G | 3 | Matt Cumani |
| 104 | 8x111750x | WESTPORT | F | 3 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy |
| 105 | 13x1131x | XILONG | F | 3 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy |
| 106 | 23111x7L0x | YOURDEEL (NZ) | G | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
