Alligator Blood retired again following injury
Image: Bruno Cannatelli
Alligator Blood, the renowned Australian thoroughbred and seven-time Group 1 winner, has concluded his racing career.
Trained by David Vandyke to begin with before going to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Alligator Blood achieved significant victories, including the 2022 Stradbroke Handicap, the 2022 and 2023 Underwood Stakes, and the 2023 Caulfield Stakes, that being his most recent triumph at the top level.
In early 2024, Alligator Blood suffered a serious pastern injury, leading to concerns about his future in racing. After a period of rehabilitation, he was transferred to trainer Chris Waller in January 2025 for a potential comeback. However, despite efforts to return him to form, connections have decided to retire the gelding, prioritizing his well-being.
“Despite trialling impressively last week, a slight amount of heat was detected in his leg this morning (Wednesday),” Waller said.
“While he’s trotting soundly, we believe it’s prudent not to push the boundaries. This issue is in the opposite leg to his original injury and is therefore unrelated, but the horse has nothing more to prove.
“My team was honoured to take over after his injury with the goal of getting him back to the races, while also assessing him carefully each week and after each trial.
“We have now reached a point where we believe he deserves a well-earned retirement.”
Alligator Blood retires with a record of 15 wins from 35 starts and earnings exceeding A$8 million, marking him as one of Australia’s top racehorses of recent times.
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