'Bring on The Cox Plate' - Alligator Blood All Heart in Underwood

Mark Smith - Sunday September 25

They don't come any braver than Alligator Blood, and when gifted a soft lead, few can match him.

Alligator Blood turns back the challengers (image Grant Courtney)

Ridden by Tim Clark for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the 6yo son of All Too Hard stared down Zaaki at the 200m and safely held the finish of Mo'Unga inn a start-studded $1,000,000 Group 1 Quayclean Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Sandown Hillside on Sunday.

He defeated Mo'Unga (Savabeel) by three-quarters of a length, with Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux) a head back in third.

In earning his third Group 1 victory, Alligator Blood advances his record to eleven wins, four seconds, and a third from 23 starts with earnings of $3,609,250.

Advertisement

Co-trainer Adrian Bott said the WS Cox Plate is the target.

"Obviously, he's had a colourful career, and we feel privileged to have the opportunity to train the horse," Bott said.

"Mr Harvey, to entrust us with him, and very proud of the horse coming here today and out in trip first time. I love how he responded and kept fighting to take on a quality field with the pressure put on him early in the race. Fantastic win.

"Over that extra trip, he was able to find that nice rhythm, and he was able to maintain those sectionals at a good high cruising speed and he was able to find under pressure.

"It was a testing track here today, and I expect him to keep finding under pressure over a bit further as well."

Tim Clark said the race played out as expected.

"He got away well, and as planned, we wanted to show our intent early, then try and get him into a nice rhythm from 1400 metres, 1200 metres onward," Clark said.

"He travelled comfortably, and he seemed to be doing it well within himself. Zaaki did come and put the pressure on him and eyeball him (but) just felt that my horse had a bit to offer, my bloke, when we got down to the bottom of the dip.

"I thought he responded courageously, and probably just being that extra run into his prep I felt that Zaaki might have been a bit vulnerable late going to the 1800 second-up. I was always confident my bloke was going to fight hard.

"A very tenacious, very satisfying win.

"Apart from Anamoe, all the big guns were there. He's proven himself over 1800 on a big roomy track like this, so 2040m around The Valley, bring it on."

Bred by and now carrying the colours of Gerry Harvey, Alligator Blood sold for $55,000 to Allan Endresz's Ezybonds No 1 Syndicate at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

He is the last foal of Lake Superior, an unraced half-sister by Encosta de Lago to stakes-winner Cantonese from the family of Australian Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy.

All Too Hard stands at Vinery Stud in 2022 for a fee of $38,500.

Advertisment

Race Result - Quayclean Underwood Stakes Gr1 1800m

Sandown-Hillside Track: Good(4) Time: 1:48.98
1
Alligator Blood
- 6g All Too Hard (AUS) x Lake Superior (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 59
All Too Hard
2
0.8
Mo'unga
- 5h Savabeel (AUS) x Chandelier (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: J Bowman 59
Inglis May (Late) Online Sale $13,000
Seller: Annabel Neasham Racing
Buyer: C S Hei
Inglis March (Late) Online Sale $22,500
Seller: Annabel Neasham Racing
Buyer: Annabel Neasham Racing
NZB Karaka Book 1 $1,000,000
Seller: Waikato Stud Ltd
Buyer: Annabel Neasham Racing / TFI
3
1.0
Zaaki
- 8g Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) x Kesara (GB) (Sadler's Wells (USA))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Jamie Kah 59
4
1.1
I'm Thunderstruck
- 5g Shocking (AUS) x Primadonna Girl (NZ) (Edenwold (CAN))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: M Zahra 59
5
2.8
Mr Brightside
- 5g Bullbars (AUS) x Lilahjay (NZ) (Tavistock (NZ))
Tnr: Ben & J D Hayes Rdr: Craig Williams 59
6
7.0
Nonconformist
- 6g Rebel Raider (AUS) x Good Thinking (AUS) (Hold That Tiger (USA))
Tnr: G M Begg Rdr: Jordan Childs 59
More Reading...
Seventh Group 1 for Alligator Blood
He is a freak, returning from what appeared to be a career-ending injury in 2020; Alligator Blood struck for the seventh time at the highest level in Saturday's $1,000,000 Neds Might And Power Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield.
Toronado Withdrawn from Service
Victorian breeders have been dealt a blow with Swettenham Stud announcing on Sunday evening that their champion sire Toronado (IRE) would not cover any mares in 2025 as he recovers from a significant infection that caused lameness.
Alligator Blood Goes Back-to-Back in Underwood Stakes
Seven days after finishing second to the unstoppable Mr Brightside in the Makybe Diva Stakes, courageous All Too Hard gelding Alligator Blood scored an emotional win under Damien Oliver in the $750,000 Group 1 Live Life Foundation Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield.
New G1 Winner for Wootton Bassett
Back in Australia for another season at Coolmore, Wootton Bassett (GB) was expected to get a 3YO Group I winner in France on Sunday, but the horse that got the job done was not the one punters expected.
Vale, Fastnet Rock
Fastnet Rock was a crowd pleaser when paraded as a living legend at the Coolmore stallion parade last month, but sadly this spring was to be his last. 
Aussie Bred Sprinter Wins G3 in South Korea
Australian bred Deep Field gelding Self Improvement was the pride of Hong Kong on Sunday when the Manfred Man trained gelding captured the Group III Seoul Korea Sprint (1200m) in South Korea.
What a Warrior! - Alligator Blood Triumphs in Futurity
It appeared that Alligator Blood was on the downward slide as 2021 drew to a close, but the son of All Too Hard has found a new lease of life under the training of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Impressive First Foals for Don Corleone
The first son of outstanding sire Extreme Choice to find his way to Queensland, Group I performer Don Corleone proved very popular with breeders last spring covering 133 mares at Eureka Stud and his first foals are exactly what you might hope for.
Shamus Award Mare Quintessa Cracks $1million in Prizemoney
Karaka graduate Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award) became a millionaire and a dual Group One winner with a stunning last-to-first performance in the $400,000 Group One Proisir Plate (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Alligator Blood Back To Best in Stradbroke
Alligator Blood's rehabilitation is complete after All Too Hard's top-class son powered his way to victory in Saturday's $1,500,000 Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm.