Alligator Blood may have been run down late over the Flemington 1600-metre course on Saturday in the Mykybe  but co-trainer Adrian Bott still believes the multiple Group 1 winner can successfully see out a Cox Plate distance.

Bott, who trains winter's Stradbroke Handicap winner with Gai Waterhouse, said that while Alligator Blood was beaten by I'm Thunderstruck after sprinting clear halfway down the home straight, he felt the horse showed he ran out a strong mile and was capable of getting out to the 2040 metres of a Cox Plate.

"I loved the way he quickened into the straight and let down," Bott said.

"He's run a really good race. Very, very proud of him and he's ticked the box at weight-for-age level here, which is important, so I think it's all positive going forward whilst, unfortunately, we were beaten today.

"We are pretty keen to keep on a Cox Pate path.

"I thought he ran out the mile strongly today and there was still a bit of a margin (three lengths) back to a couple of the others.

"I think he can continue to go up in trip so we're looking at the Cox Plate at this stage."

Alligator Blood is likely to go out beyond 1600m for the first time in the G1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Sandown in two weeks, when he could run into the likes of I'm Thunderstruck as well as Zaaki.

Annabel Neasham was delighted with the improved second-up performance of Mo'unga to finish third and she said she felt the horse could challenge for a good race this spring in the right conditions.

"Jamie (Kah) said he felt really good today," Neasham explained.

"He'll stay down here now. He'll go to the Underwood or to Flemington (Turnbull Stakes) but he's better on a dry track. A Good (4), he's got a much better turn of foot."

Jockey comments 

I'm Thunderstruck (Won): "The good thing was when I went back to the fence, for a horse that lays in, he was able to use the fence. Alligator Blood, it did kick strong, and not many horses would have run him down. I got to within half-a-length and I thought I not sure if I've got much left, but he lifted again. It was massive win, a great performance and a great effort by the horse," Mark Zahra.

Alligator Blood (Second): "It was a wonderful effort," Tim Clark.

Mo'unga (Third): "I'm happy. He just needs more pressure in his races. He was off the bridle a long way out and needed a bit more pressure in the race," Jamie Kah.

Cascadian (Fourth): "He ran well, just the pace was a bit slow from where he was positioned," Blake Shinn.

Western Empire (Fifth): "Disappointing today," Damian Lane.

Regal Power (Sixth): "He was a bit disappointing. He didn't finish off as well as I hoped he would," Damian Oliver.

Nonconformist (Seventh): "I thought he went good. Obviously I didn't want to be that close, but he just jumped so well and landed outside the leader. He got left a bit flat-footed when they quickened but his last 200 was his best," Jordan Childs.

She's Ideel (Last): "She got left behind when they sprinted," Ben Melham.

Racing.com