Harvey buys majority share in Alligator Blood
The ongoing saga surrounding the eligibility to race of dual Group 1 winner Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) appears to be over, after Gerry Harvey purchased a majority share in the six-year-old, with previous owner Allan Endresz relinquishing 100 per cent of the horse.
Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Alligator Blood was barred from racing in both New South Wales and Victoria due to the undischarged bankrupt status of Endresz, which prevented all horses in which he held majority ownership from racing.
It is understood that Harvey, who bred and sold the horse to Endresz for $55,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2018, has purchased 60 per cent of the gelding, with Robyn and Jeff Simpson owning the remaining 40 per cent.
“Selling AB was one of the most emotional and toughest decisions I have ever made in a long time,” Endresz said in a statement.
“In the end, my family and I are extremely grateful and humbled that Gerry Harvey has saved AB’s Australian racing career in the interests of racing. As AB’s breeder, Gerry has always had a soft spot for AB and supported Adrian Bott’s comments when he said ‘No good having a Ferrari locked up in the garage’.”
Endresz, who revealed he had turned down an offer of $3.2 million for the horse earlier in his career, took aim at Racing Victoria stewards for their decision to ban the horse from racing, indicating that he will take legal action against the governing body for loss of earnings.
“Being forced to sell AB and remove his famous racing colours … was nothing short of bureaucratic power gone mad. The audacity of Racing Victoria stewards banning AB without any rules of racing being breached is reprehensible.
“Their failure to approve my son, Matthew Endresz, and Living Legends as the new owners of AB was unconscionable while exposing an unhealthy discriminatory attitude when assessing new participants.
“These ill-founded decisions have only strengthened my resolve to pursue significant damages for the lost opportunity in racing AB under my colours. In addition, it will allow the legal system to fully equip decision makers with new skills, to ensure that they think twice before decimating valuable assets and livelihoods of the very people who ultimately contribute to their continuing roles as decision makers. Hiding behind unilateral discretionary decisions is no longer a viable option. It’s time to level the playing field where the integrity of contractual agreements between all participants is just as important as the integrity of racing itself.”
The sale of the horse and subsequent approval from racing authorities for the horse to race sees the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Alligator Blood present as the $5.50 co-favourite Saturday’s Memsie Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Caulfield, alongside Western Empire (Iffraaj) and Illation (So You Think).