EXCLUSIVE: Stunning Queensland Supreme Court win for Alligator Blood after Magic Millions substance saga

In a landmark decision, the Queensland Supreme Court has ruled in favour of a court’s original decision to void Alligator Blood’s disqualification from the $2m 2020 Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.

Alligator Blood wins the Magic Millions Guineas. Picture: Trackside Photography

The Queensland Supreme Court has handed Alligator Blood’s colourful former owner Allan Endresz a stunning victory in the long-running Magic Millions disqualification saga.

In a landmark decision, Justice Morrison, of the Court Of Appeal, ruled in favour of a court’s original decision to sensationally void Alligator Blood’s disqualification from the $2m 2020 Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.

In a decision delivered shortly after 2.15pm on Tuesday, the Justice dismissed the appeal from Racing Queensland and Queensland Racing Integrity Commission into Alligator Blood’s disqualification being voided by in court in December 2022.

The ramifications of the decision are still playing out.

But Endresz and his legal team insist it means Alligator Blood must be declared winner of the 2020 Guineas, after Greg Hickman-trained Eleven Eleven was declared the new winner following Alligator Blood’s original disqualification.

Alligator Blood was originally stripped of the race and the $1.165m winners cheque following a positive swab to the banned substance, altrenogest.

Allan Endresz, with Robyn and Jeff Simpson celebrate Alligator Blood’s win, which was subsequently taken off him.

But Endresz launched Supreme Court action saying he and the ownership team were never given an opportunity to be heard by stewards before the disqualification.

“I have just instructed my lawyers to immediately seek to remove Alligator Blood’s disqualification from Racing Australia and to immediately seek the $1.165m prizemoney,” Endresz told Racenet.

“I swore I would restore Alligator Blood’s good name and I have. This is also a victory for his tens of thousands of fans.

“My wife Joy (who passed away from terminal cancer the day after Alligator Blood won the 2022 Stradbroke Handicap) had an emotional connection to Alligator Blood so this is a massively special moment for my family.”

Endresz’s lawyer Tim Fuller hailed Tuesday’s decision — where the Appeal Court rubber-stamped the original court decision to void the disqualification — as a massive win for the rights of owners.

He said it may force change at the top levels of racing.

The race has left a trail of controversy.

“A key aspect of the decision was that racehorse owners now have a right to be heard in stewards’ hearings,” Fuller told Racenet.

“This court decision will give cause for racing authorities across all jurisdictions to reconsider their processes as to how owners are informed of stewards hearings.

“Based on the judgment, it is anticipated that Alligator Blood will be reinstated as the winner of the Magic Millions Guineas.”

Racing Queensland chief executive Jason Scott told Racenet the RQ legal team would consider the court decision for 24-48 hours before deciding on the next step.

Alligator Blood defeats Eleven Eleven in the Guineas.

In October last year, Scott said he would not ask connections of Eleven Eleven to pay back more than $1m in prizemoney if RQ and QRIC lost the matter in court.

It effectively now means that Queensland’s peak racing body is likely to have to pay out winning prizemoney twice on the same race.

Alligator Blood, a seven-time Group 1 winning superstar, is recovering from a long-term pastern injury which ruled him out of the autumn carnival and there is a chance he may not race again.

Endresz is no longer an owner of Alligator Blood, having sold his majority share to billionaire businessman and breeding supremo Gerry Harvey in 2022.

Endresz had been barred from racing horses due to his status as an undischarged bankrupt.

Originally published as EXCLUSIVE: Stunning Queensland Supreme Court win for Alligator Blood after Magic Millions substance saga