Alligator Blood injury robs fans of Mr Brightside showdown
Trainers of rivals to Alligator Blood feel for the gelding’s connections after the multiple Group 1 winner has been forced out of the autumn through injury.
Alligator Blood suffered a serious leg injury, and may not race again, news that saddened two young rival trainers.
The Lindsay Park operation of Ben, Will and J D Hayes had been looking forward to again locking horns with Alligator Blood with their multiple Group 1 winner Mr Brightside.
“It’s unfortunate and I feel for the connections there,” J D Hayes said.
“He’s such a lovely horse and it would have been good to see them clash, but it’s very unfortunate.
“Hopefully he is able to rehab well, and we’ll get to see him again.”
Alligator Blood was being readied for a first-up shot at the CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 10, a race the Tony and Calvin McEvoy -trained Veight is headed to after his first-up win in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Mr Brightside is slated to resume in the C F Orr Stakes.
“That was unfortunate to read about Alligator Blood,” Calvin McEvoy said.
“It’s never great to hear about great horses and their injuries.”
McEvoy said Veight had pulled-up in super order following his Moonee Valley win and will take a great deal of improvement out of the run.
“He’ll do a bit of work later in the week and then he’ll have a nice gallop either Monday or Tuesday next week and he’ll head to the race in great shape,” McEvoy said.
“He will have taken a lot of benefit from the race and what we do with now until the race won’t change him too much.”
While Veight raced in a butterfly bit and a one-eyed blinker on Saturday, McEvoy said he felt Veight would have raced truly without the gear on Saturday.
He said Veight was now starting to mature as a racehorse.
“Damian Lane has confidence in his own relationship in the horse and he never really wanted the headgear and was happy to ride and trust himself,” McEvoy said.
“But when you’re getting to this level you can’t have any mistakes.
“So, I thought when the pressure came on early and he had to get into him 50 to 100 metres than what was ideal, he had every right to lay-in a little, but he didn’t.”
More Racing News
Kovalica to relish G1 Doomben Cup trip
The anniversary of Kovalica’s biggest success comes up in the next week and Chris Waller is hoping to celebrate the milestone with another Brisbane Group 1 win. The four-year-old son of Ocean Park will chase his first win since last year’s Queensland Derby when he steps out in this Saturday’s $1 million...
Gold Coast trial to sharpen Magic Time for the Kingsford Smith Cup
Michael Dee is heading to the Gold Coast to trial multiple Group 1 winning mare Magic Time ahead of her first run in Brisbane. The Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on June 1 is the race trainer Grahame Begg has picked out to run Magic Time in first-up in Brisbane,...
Shinn to make Sydney trip for Think About It trial
Blake Shinn will make the trip to Sydney to partner Think About It in a barrier trial as he prepares for his first race ride on the Everest winner. Sam Clipperton has been the gelding’s regular jockey over the past 15 months, but connections decided to make a change following a disappointing Sydney autumn...
The Map lands a Melbourne Cup berth
Six months of planning has paid off with The Map earning a ‘Golden Ticket’ into the Melbourne Cup. The Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes (2800m) at Flemington on Saturday grants the winner a ballot exemption into the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) in November. Trainers Dan Clarken and Oopy Macgillivray planned their assault on Saturday’s...
Lloyd keeps his cool as Cindy collects Dark Jewel Classic
A composed ride from Zac Lloyd has helped Fall For Cindy post an invaluable Group Three win, the star apprentice keeping his cool despite having to throw the script out the window shortly after the start. Lloyd had hoped to settle the John O’Shea-trained mare in the first half of the field and...
Draw favours Who Dares in The Straight Six
Who Dares has finally lived up to the lofty expectations placed on him winning a Stakes race at Flemington. The Listed Straight Six (1200m) on Saturday fell the way of the heavily supported gelding, prepared at Mornington by Pat Carey and Harris Walker. Sent out the $3.30 favourite under Patrick Moloney, Who Dares scored...
Bella Nipotina beats I Wish I Win in the Doomben 10,000
Ciaron Maher has been left to marvel at the tenacity of bonny mare Bella Nipotina, who has overcome a busy travel schedule to upset I Wish I Win in the $1.5 million Doomben 10,000. Kicking off her preparation in Melbourne, Bella Nipotina was narrowly edged out by Chain Of Lightning in the T J...
Opal Ridge signals Queensland carnival intentions in Ortensia Stakes
A relieved Luke Pepper will press on to the Queensland winter carnival with renewed confidence after an underdone Opal Ridge maintained her perfect home track record with a classy victory in the Ortensia Stakes at Scone. Pepper admitted to some pre-race anxiety given Opal Ridge hadn’t raced since November, but he banked on...
Bool battler chasing a Melbourne Cup dream
The self-proclaimed little bogan from the Bool with the bargain battler $5000 horse is chasing the dream of a Melbourne Cup start at Flemington. Patrick Ryan Jnr and his stayer Ferago head to the Listed Andrew Ramsden (2800m) in search of a ballot exemption into the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington...
Shall Samuel and Twain meet in the Melbourne Cup?
To breed one Melbourne Cup runner is an achievement, but to have two in the same race from the one family is something not many can boast. But that’s the dream Gail Temperton and Stan Alexander are hoping to realise this year and Samuel Langhorne can take a giant step towards making...