‘I was a bit green’: Trainer Billy Healey’s time to shine after Alligator Blood regret

Billy Healey has a pair of exciting three-year-olds in the Mick Dittman Plate and feels he has learned a lot since he trained Alligator Blood after a few regrets about that period.

Trainer Billy Healey, who prepared Alligator Blood (top right) for three starts early in the superstar galloper's career, now has Cosmic Fire (bottom right) flying the flag for his stable.

If he had his time again, Billy Healey would do things differently with Alligator Blood.

Sunshine Coast trainer Healey admits he was young, naive and had a lot to learn when he trained the future superstar for three starts early in his career in 2021.

Healey helped get Alligator Blood back from a long-term injury but he couldn’t get him to fire on the racetrack.

He advised connections they would be better off sending Alligator Blood to another trainer – then Healey watched on as the now retired ‘Gator collected six Group 1s for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

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Four years later, Healey has his two best horses since Alligator Blood.

Sprinters Cosmic Fire and Benzou both look to be something special and sit at the top of early betting charts for the Listed Mick Dittman Plate (3YOs over 1000m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Healey is wiser and more seasoned now and gets the chance to show what he can do with some good horses, taking learnings from his experiences with Alligator Blood.

“I will never make a race day decision in my life again,” Healey said.

“When I went home after his last start for me, I said to the owners I don’t think I can continue on with him, I think he’s better off to go elsewhere.

“He was coming off a massive spell, was always too fat and at the time he was a hard horse to get fit.

“I should have gone home and slept on it, I would have woken up the next day and said we have got to try something else.

“I was probably a bit young and I couldn’t handle the pressure.

“I was a bit green for the job, but you make mistakes and you continue to learn.”

🪐 🔥 Cosmic Fire bolts in at Grafton with @mallyon_andrew in the saddle for @BHealeyracing! pic.twitter.com/HVode24n3Y

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 16, 2024

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Fast forward to 2025 and Healey is set to make an early Queensland winter carnival strike with Cosmic Fire and Benzou.

Cosmic Fire was last seen producing a sizzling victory in the $250,000 Sunlight Consolation race at the Sunshine Coast in January.

Before that he finished second behind the classy Arabian Summer in a $125,000 dash on the Gold Coast.

While Cosmic Fire is resuming in the Mick Dittman, Benzou is third-up and has turned plenty of heads having won half of his four career starts and finishing second behind Boomtown Boss last time.

A big win to Benzou at Eagle Farm - perhaps an omen for Bellazaine in the TAB Golden Slipper, who is his little sister!@BillyHealey3 | @CejayGraham1 | @BrisRacingClubpic.twitter.com/CP4fvz7y5t

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 22, 2025

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Benzou’s form has attracted Hong Kong interest but the gelding, for the moment, is staying put.

“I wouldn’t split these horses in terms of ability, there’s nothing between them at all,” Healey said.

“With Cosmic Fire, you can ride him cold or you can ride him forward because he is just so foolproof.

“He goes on a Heavy (10) track and he goes on a Good (4).

“With Benzou, I think he has a massive future and I don’t even think it is this preparation.

“These would be the most progressive and untapped horses I have had and they are relatively very lightly raced.

“This is probably the closest they have ever been in a preparation together and still they are not completely lined up.

“One horse is first-up and the other fella is having his third run for the prep.”

Originally published as ‘I was a bit green’: Trainer Billy Healey’s time to shine after Alligator Blood regret