Alligator Blood could yet make a surprise comeback to racing

Alligator Blood is a horse that the horse racing bookmakers have long feared. A heart on his sleeve galloper, his attitude has won him a lot of fans. November 2023 is the last time that he has been seen in race action. A track return from his pastern injury would be a remarkable achievement.

Chris Waller the new trainer for Alligator Blood

There are very few who have the firepower in the stable than Chris Waller does. The addition of another star in Alligator Blood provides even more depth to his wealth of riches. It is a move that part owner Jeff Simpson has described as merely looking for a different training method for the horse.

This is not the first time that Alligator Blood has changed stables. While he is by far best known for being in the care of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, they were the third different stable that has looked after the horse.

The horse started with David Vandyke, winning his first Group 1 for that stable, the 2020 Australian Guineas at Flemington. A quick prep with Billy Healey followed but the horse failed to show his best form in three starts there. Step forward Gai Waterhouse and the legend of Alligator Blood really began.

Waller has an interesting task on his hands. There is a ready-made excuse if Alligator Blood fails to make it back into a race and also if the horse does come back but is not the star that he once was. Waller’s experience and pride in his work will make him want to get the horse back to his Group 1 winning best. It is going to be an interesting time while the story continues to unfold in the autumn.

November 2023 the last time that he raced

It was in the Group 1 Champions Mile on November 11, 2023, that Alligator Blood was last seen in a race. He finished third that day behind Pride Of Jenni and Mr Brightside in that contest with Fangirl just behind him.

Two trials at Rosehill in early 2024 were getting him set up for an autumn prep when he suffered an injury to a pastern. The immediate thought at the age of seven was that it was going to be the end of his career.

He was given a scan a few weeks back which showed no scar tissue. The injury has healed up better than anyone would have hoped and it has given them hope that Alligator Blood might yet race again.

Still some way off making a return

Although the potential is there to see Alligator Blood back on the track, connections are not going to take any risks and rush him back. Even though he is now an eight-year-old, the fact is that it has only been a year since the injury.

Connections are making this attempt to bring him back to the track as he is getting bored at home. Described as a pain in the neck, they have said that all he wants to do is run when he is in the paddock at home so it made the decision to see if they could get him back into race action an easier one.

What a story this could be! Alligator Blood is a horse who has a wealth of fans and not just in Australia. For him to make a return to racing would be something that anyone with a love for the sport would be praying for.