Jockey Ryan Maloney reveals Alligator Blood disqualification pain
Jockey Ryan Maloney is out of pocket almost $60,000 for the Magic Millions disqualification of Alligator Blood and while disappointed, says it’s only short-term pain.
SuperRacing
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Ryan Maloney admits to being bitterly disappointed at Alligator Blood’s disqualification from January’s Magic Millions, but like trainer David Vandyke, is trying to see a silver lining.
Maloney scored what was to that point the biggest success of his career when giving Alligator Blood a faultless ride to win the $2m MM Guineas, but is resigned to it being scrapped from the record books.
Maloney’s share of the purse was just short of $60,000, so it’s been both a financial and personally taxing result since the positive swab came to light and then Thursday’s disqualification.
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“It’s a hard pill to swallow but you have to move on. It is what it is,” Maloney said.
“Like David (Vandyke) said, the horse is still in good order and that’s the main thing going forward.”
Setting aside the MM Guineas result, it has still been a career best season for Maloney. He has topped the century of winners for the second year in a row and his prizemoney haul, even with the Magic Millions taken out, is well beyond what he’s won in previous years, plus he broke through in the Australian Guineas for his very first Group 1 success.
Stewards confirm Alligator Blood disqualified from Magic Millions Guineas win and trainer David Vandyke fined $20,000 on a presentation charge. @superracing
— Nathan Exelby (@xlbnathan_cmail) July 23, 2020
“It’s just reaffirmed how the move to Queensland has been a fruitful one,” he said.
“I’m lucky to have a lot of good support behind me and it’s satisfying to ride 100 winners again.”
While disappointed, trainer Vandyke was determined to see Alligator Blood back on the track.
“He’s a horse that’s come back and he’s in good shape,” he said. “If he wasn’t in good shape that would be a bigger blow than anything that happened (Thursday).”
Maloney trails the injured Baylee Nothdurft by 8.5 wins on the Queensland Metropolitan Premiership this season and even though he’s a rough mathematical chance of reeling the youngster in, he says Nothdurft will be a deserving winner of the title.
“He’s only a young kid with a very old head on his shoulders,” he said.
“He rides very well. He’s put in the hard yards and deserves the result.”
Maloney spent a number of weeks on the road this season and is looking forward to doing the same again as Alligator Blood builds up for his return.
The jockey has liked what he has been seeing in trackwork from the gelding, who is returning from the first decent spell of his career.
“I think he’s thrived since coming back,” he said. “He needed to strengthen up going into Open age racing next season and he’s definitely done that.”