David Vandyke can’t wait for clash between Alligator Blood and Catalyst at Flemington
Trainer David Vandyke has welcomed the arrival of boom Kiwi Catalyst to challenge his star gelding Alligator Blood in the C.S Hayes Stakes at Flemington. ALL-STAR MILE LEADERBOARD
David Vandyke is taking a different perspective with star Queenslander Alligator Blood in the lead-up to his gelding’s clash with Kiwi star Catalyst in the C.S Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Vandyke said the pressure was a lot less compared to what he felt before the Magic Millions Guineas.
“It’s completely different,” Vandyke said. “If we finish second or third to Catalyst and or Super Seth, if he runs, then it’s still going to be a great effort and there’d be no shame in that.”
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“It was different in the Magic Millions as he had to win that race and was odds-on favourite. If we get beaten, we’re going to be beaten by a very smart horse.”
This will be the first of two clashes between Alligator Blood, who has won eight of his nine starts, and Catalyst, who has won six of seven.
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They will clash again in the Australian Guineas and then in the All-Star Mile, where both are placed in the top 10 in voting.
“This is what racing needs,” Vandyke said. “Good horses racing against good horses.”
TAB fixed odds has Alligator Blood as a $2.50 favourite in front of Catalyst at $2.70. With the doubt over Super Seth running, he has been removed from the betting. Anthony Freedman is considering running him in the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday week.
Alligator Blood has been at Flemington for almost a week and Vandyke was there Tuesday morning to watch his star colt work, and he was pleased with what he saw.
“My boy is in great shape,” he said. “He galloped nicely. He worked three-quarter pace over 1000m and then galloped up from the 400m and worked nicely.”
Vandyke said it was a privilege to train such a popular horse as Alligator Blood, who has attracted almost 13,000 votes for the All-Star Mile — which is 4000 more than the second-most popular horse, Star Missile
Star Kiwi gelding Catalyst has arrived in Melbourne. Trainer Clayton Chipperfield said he had settled in well at Mornington. Chipperfield said Damian Lane would ride Catalyst in work on Wednesday morning.
ALL-STAR MILE — TOP 10
1. Alligator Blood (12,807 votes)
2. Star Missile (8735)
3. Melody Belle (8704)
4. Kolding (7692)
5. Catalyst (4437)
6. Mr Quickie (4058)
7. Heart Of Puissance (3765)
8. Aristia (3486)
9. Begood Toya Mother (3299)
10. Super Seth (3265)
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STRIP ON TARGET FOR LIGHTNING RAID
Trainer Chris Waller is confident star sprinter Nature Strip will take his game to another level this campaign.
Waller was at Flemington on Tuesday morning to watch Nature Strip work down the straight with James McDonald on board and he said he seemed very well.
“There’s not much difference with him to last preparation but I think he’s learned to relax just a little bit better, which is a great sign,” Waller said.
“He’s the Usain Bolt of our sprinters but like him he’s still got to do everything right. 1000m is a little bit different to 1200m for him but he’s a very good horse.”
Nature Strip is a $1.55 favourite with TAB fixed odds to win Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington on Saturday. Waller said he would make a decision on whether his speedster runs in the Newmarket Handicap after Saturday.
“We’ll get through Saturday before we make a decision but we haven’t got a commitment to run in it,” he said. “It’s a handicap and he’s got a long campaign ahead of him.”
Waller said it was more likely that Nature Strip would return to Sydney and run in the Group 1 T.J Smith Stakes at Randwick.
Waller said Kolding, who was fourth in the All-Star Mile voting, would run in the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield on February 22 before he started in that race.
Meantime, TAB fixed odds reported a bet of $1000 each-way on Mr Quickie to win the All-Star Mile at $15/$4.50.
Originally published as David Vandyke can’t wait for clash between Alligator Blood and Catalyst at Flemington
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