Alligator Blood Disqualified from Magic Millions Win

Group 1 winner Alligator Blood has been disqualified from his victory in the AU$2 million Magic Millions Guineas and his trainer David Vandyke handed a AU$20,000 fine by Racing Queensland stewards after the 3-year-old was found to have returned a positive post-race swab following his Jan. 11 triumph.

Additionally, Alligator Blood's connections have forfeited their AU$1.1 million winners' check after traces of Altrenogest, a substance banned for use on male horses, were discovered.

More commonly known as Regu-mate, Altrenogest is a hormone given to keep female horses from being in season, or if they are already pregnant, to keep them from losing the foal.

Vandyke avoided suspension after being found guilty of breaching rule AR240(2). He was charged with presenting a horse to race with a prohibited substance, not the more serious administrating charge.

On learning the result, Alligator Blood's owner Allan Endresz confirmed he will head to the Supreme Court to challenge the decision.

"From the trainer's perspective, collectively we are very happy," said Endresz. "But what did come out of it, was they have stuck the mandatory rule 240 that the horse is automatically disqualified. That's consistent with what I've been saying, that there was no wriggle room.

"That will be the undoing when I start to hit my straps, which I have been planning on in the Supreme Court. I have been talking about it (heading to the Supreme Court) for a long time."

Alligator Blood's penalty is Queensland racing's highest profile disqualification since Ducatoon was stripped of the Stradbroke Handicap in 1980 after the mare returned a positive swab.

Media were barred from attending the proceedings by stewards, so details were limited to a short statement released by the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission.

Alligator Blood has won two races since the Magic Millions Guineas, including the group 1 Kennedy Australian Guineas at Flemington and all swabs were clear.

Following Thursday's hearing, initial runner-up Eleven Eleven was promoted to first place in the Magic Millions Guineas, while Exhilarates improved to second with Hightail joining the minor placing.