Group 1 winners Alligator Blood and I'm Thunderstruck headline the eight-horse field for Saturday's Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Sandown in Melbourne, Australia.
Having claimed the Underwood Stakes and Champions Mile during the spring, the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Alligator Blood returns as a +260 favourite in the 1400m Group 1 worth A$750,000.
The four-time Group 1 winner has just the one trial run under his belt – back on January 31 – in the lead-up to his autumn campaign and will be looking to further push his case as one of the best weight-for-age horses in the land.
I'm Thunderstruck shares favouritism with Alligator Blood following a half-length defeat in the C.F. Orr Stakes on February 11.
The Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained runner may not get a better opportunity to win his third Group 1 race; however, he does not possess the greatest record when second-up, winning once from four attempts.
That sole victory came last campaign when claiming the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes over 1600m at Flemington.
Mr Brightside was arguably the run of the race in the C.F. Orr Stakes when settling at the rear of the field before flashing home to finish fifth, beaten under a length in a race that was not run to suit backmarkers.
Unlike I'm Thunderstruck, the Ben & JD Hayes-trained galloper tends to fire more often than not when second-up, having won two of his three second-up runs so far in his career.
Bringing a bit of the unknown to the event is Nugget from the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace barn.
The six-year-old gelding handled his step up to Group 1 level in the C.F. Orr with aplomb when finishing third, beating home market fancies I'm Thunderstruck and Mr Brightside.
With the likes of My Oberon, who was a dynamic winner when fresh at Moonee Valley in the spring in the Group 2 Crystal Mile, and Laws Of Indices, who just two runs back finished third behind Hong Kong superstars Golden Sixty and California Spangle in the Hong Kong Mile, the Futurity Stakes might just be more than a two-horse race on Saturday.
2023 Futurity Stakes field
| No. | Silks | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | I'm Thunderstruck | Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr | Jamie Kah | 3 | 59kg |
| 2 |  | Alligator Blood | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Blake Shinn | 4 | 59kg |
| 3 |  | Mr Brightside | Ben & JD Hayes | Craig Williams | 5 | 59kg |
| 4 |  | Laws Of Indices | Annabel Neasham | Ben Melham | 8 | 59kg |
| 5 |  | Aegon | Andrew Forsman | Michael Dee | 6 | 59kg |
| 6 |  | My Oberon | Annabel Neasham | Ethan Brown | 7 | 59kg |
| 7 |  | Mr Mozart | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Damien Oliver | 1 | 59kg |
| 8 |  | Nugget | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | John Allen | 2 | 59kg |