A week after veteran Danleigh took feature race honours in Sydney, eight-year-old Alcopop will be out to turn back the clock in Melbourne.
The South Australian-trained gelding will continue his comeback from a knee injury in Saturday’s Group Two Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley.
Alcopop was a slashing second to Rekindled Interest in the corresponding race 12 months ago and looked set to play a role in the major carnival races before a fractured knee ended his spring.
He has had two comeback runs in Adelaide finishing seventh to Happy Trails in the Spring Stakes and eighth to Southern Speed in the Penny Edition.
Trainer Jake Stephens has been satisfied with both efforts but believes he might need one more run to top him off.
“I think the trip will do him the world of good. He can bob up with one of these when we go to Melbourne sometimes,” Stephens said.
“But I think with having had the year off he’s taken a couple of runs and he might still be one more run away from being near his best.”
While Alcopop is eight he has been lightly raced with nine wins from 28 starts.
Like the Chris Waller-trained Danleigh, who won last Saturday’s Chelmsford Stakes at Warwick Farm, Alcopop does plenty of beach work as part of his routine.
Stephens says the gelding is enjoying his racing as much as ever.
“He loves it. He’s one of those horses that’s evergreen and he’s eight-years-old but he’s thriving,” Stephens said.
“He’s starting to come good and loving his racing at the moment.
“I suppose the good ones all love it. It’s just a matter of their bodies holding up, like with all athletes.”
Alcopop will face a field of 11 in the Dato including last year’s winner Rekindled Interest.
Caulfield Cup favourite Green Moon and his Robert Hickmott-trained stablemate Midas Touch are also there, along with Happy Trails and Australian Derby winner Ethiopia.
One missing ingredient will be Alcopop’s regular rider Dom Tourneur who has opted to remain in Adelaide.
Nick Hall will partner Alcopop for the first time on Saturday but Stephens says it is a one-race booking and the door remains open for Tourneur to renew his acquaintance later in the spring.
“Nick Hall is on him. Dom is riding Detox back home for us and he’s got a couple of rides there, whereas he probably would have only had the one in Melbourne so he elected to stay back,” Stephens said.
“Nick’s obviously a top rider in very good form.”
