Three-year-old gelding Alligator Blood was the darling of the summer on the track and looked destined for superstardom, but was all as it seemed?
Following his win in the $2 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas in January, Alligator Blood returned a positive test for banned substance altrenogest, commercially known as Regumate.
The substance is occasionally used to control the reproductive cycles in mares, though has long been banned for use in colts and geldings.
QRIC released a statement on Wednesday to confirm the irregularity.
"Sunshine Coast Trainer David Vandyke has today been informed that after preliminary analysis, a post-race sample taken from thoroughbred gelding Alligator Blood after it won the Magic Millions Three Year Old Guineas at the Gold Coast on 11 January 2020, has shown an irregularity to the prohibited substance altrenogest," the statement read.
"Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) Stewards informed Mr Vandyke that the sample has been sent for confirmatory testing at an interstate laboratory."
Following the news of the irregularity, Vandyke provided a statement to Racenet's Ben Dorries, denying any knowledge of the use of the substance in the horse.
"Altrenogest is a drug that has never been used to my knowledge on Alligator Blood or any male horse in our stable," Vandyke said.
"It is used in our stable under the brand name Ovumate and is given to some female horses under our care with accurate records kept surrounding administration.
"Those records have been given to QRIC. We are in the process of reviewing our security and stable management.
"There will be no further comment as we await the result of the B sample."
Vandyke has trained Alligator Blood to wins in the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes and a first Group 1 triumph in the Australian Guineas since the Magic Millions.
Those races were part of an incredible run of form for the horse, who has saluted 10 times from his 12 races.
The only defeats came on Saturday, with a disappointing 10th in the All Star Mile, as well as a narrow second in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas in October.
Jockey Ryan Maloney has steered Alligator Blood to eight of those 10 wins.
