Alcopop has a hangover

Racing and Sports
Monday, 22 March 2010:

The Sydney autumn campaign of Alcopop may be over after finishing last in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

The South Australian stayer, who started favourite in last year's Melbourne Cup, has failed to fire in two runs in Sydney in the autumn and trainer Jake Stephens will now weigh up whether to continue on.

Nothing has gone right for Alcopop in Sydney, including a poor blood count and failing to stretch out hindering his first run in the Sydney direction when 10th in the Apollo Stakes.

A mild virus forced him to miss the Chipping Norton Stakes and second-up in the Ranvet on Saturday he layed in up the straight and was seemingly at sea in the clockwise direction, finishing a six length last behind Theseo.

Stephens and connections will now think about whether to press on or return home and concentrate on the spring.

'He'll have an easy few days and we'll evaluate what to do,” Stephens said.

“The BMW is still a possibility but my gut feeling is to pull up stumps and go home. It's probably a better idea to give him a good spell and concentrate on the spring.”

Stephens wants to give the horse every chance to turn the corner but admits he's facing an uphill battle.