Time may be starting to get away from Alcopop, but connections are confident there’s another springtime chapter to be written on his fairytale career.
The eight-year-old resumes in the Spring Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday, kicking off a potential Caulfield Cup campaign which may well reach even further heights should he recapture his best.
Jockey Dom Tourneur is just hoping for a change in fortune this time in.
“He deserves his share of luck this season, if so well he might be in the mix,” Tourneur said.
“There’s just been bits and pieces along the way where we’ve run into injury or hiccups, or we had the unfortunate Caulfield Cup that year when he was flying.
“I rode him in an exhibition gallop last Wednesday between races. He galloped really well and I was really pleased with where he was at.
“Age is not on his side, it’s obviously a bit more difficult with some of the younger horses coming through the ranks.
“He’s only lightly raced, he’s only had 26 starts so I mean he’s been well looked after.
“I’m pretty confident at his best he’ll still run up to them. He’ll probably pick up the odd place in the right race and probably pick up something handy over there along the way.”
Alcopop captured the nation’s collective heart in the spring of 2009 winning four straight races including the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) before starting as favourite in the Melbourne Cup.
He ran sixth behind Shocking.
After two poor runs in the autumn of 2010, Alcopop returned for another spring assault running second in the Yalumba Stakes (2000m) behind So You Think and was well supported heading into the Caulfield Cup, but drew the outside gate and was never in the race.
Last year he again travelled to Melbourne and looked in menacing form before a fracture in his near-fore knee was identified.
For most of the past year he’s slowly but surely been recovering.
Trainer Jake Stephens won’t be completely certain he’s back on track until the running of the Spring Stakes on Saturday.
Should he get through the run though, he’ll likely book himself another trip to Melbourne.
“Coming off an injury lay-off you’re always a bit cautious but nevertheless he’s had a good break and there seems to be no worrying signs, or any soreness or anything, he’s very sound at the moment,” Tourneur said.
“He did run well first-up in the same race [last year] and went on to win second-up over 1400 in the Penny Edition.
“He can generally run a race okay first-up but as he’s got a bit older the dash has probably come out of him a little bit. I still expect him to be hitting the line pretty hard.
“There are a few handy horses in the race. Happy Trails always runs good, there’s a couple of Lloyd Kennewell’s.
“Southern Speed’s probably going to run a bold race.
“I still expect him to run a bold race.”
Alcopop, picture Sportpix.com.au
