Damien Oliver chasing G1 on Alligator Blood

Damien Oliver will be looking to add to his Group 1 tally when he partners Alligator Blood possibly for the last time at Caulfield.

Alligator Blood runs in the Underwood Stakes (1800m) on Saturday with Oliver aboard before the champion jockey is expected to hand the reins back to Tim Clark in coming weeks.

Clark was injured in a race fall at Wyong on September 1 and missed the ride on Alligator Blood when the gelding was a first-up fourth in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield the following day.

Oliver picked up the ride and was again aboard when Alligator Blood was second to Mr Brightside in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last Saturday.

Clarke won the Underwood Stakes on Alligator Blood last year when the race was run at Sandown and makes his return to race riding at Rosehill on Saturday after riding in trials at Randwick on Friday.

Oliver will be having his fourth ride on Alligator Blood on Saturday.

He rode the gelding when seventh in the 2022 Memsie Stakes before getting back aboard Alligator Blood for his last two starts.

While Oliver is winless, to date, on Alligator Blood, he said the gelding was a straight-forward horse and an easy one to ride.

“I’ve ridden the horse a few times now,” Oliver said.

“I’m pretty familiar with the horse. I’ve ridden him in trackwork, and I’ve raced against him quite a lot and he is a pretty straight forward horse.”

From barrier eight on Saturday, Oliver said he would go into Saturday’s race with an open mind.

While he led on Alligator Blood last week at Flemington and the gelding led throughout to claim last year’s Underwood, Oliver said ‘The Blood’ does not need to lead to win on Saturday.

“I’d like to keep my options open, and I’d be happy to ride him anywhere,” Oliver said.

“He had a nice run in front last Saturday. I was happy with it, but I felt it was a bit hard and I don’t think any of the leaders won.

“The way he is going, think he seems in as good a form as ever.”