The Doncaster Mile is looming as the last throw of the Group One dice for grand mare Gallant Tess and will almost certainly be the final appearance by Alamosa.A multiple Group One winner in New Zealand, Alamosa enhanced his $5 million price tag and stud prospects with victory in last year's Toorak Handicap in the care of Melbourne trainer Mick Price.A group headed by Bill Gleeson of New Zealand's Wellfield Lodge Stud where Alamosa will stand, paid the hefty premium to buy him in March 2008 and w

The Doncaster Mile is looming as the last throw of the Group One dice for grand mare Gallant Tess and will almost certainly be the final appearance by Alamosa.

A multiple Group One winner in New Zealand, Alamosa enhanced his $5 million price tag and stud prospects with victory in last year's Toorak Handicap in the care of Melbourne trainer Mick Price.

A group headed by Bill Gleeson of New Zealand's Wellfield Lodge Stud where Alamosa will stand, paid the hefty premium to buy him in March 2008 and were rewarded with an Australian Group One success in October.

"He's booked on the plane to go home on Monday," Gleeson said.

"If it's really wet he probably won't run and we might reconsider.

"But he has to get to the stud and let down to be ready for the breeding season in the spring so it's doubtful."

Gallant Tess has raced at the highest level throughout her career but has fallen just short of a Group One victory, notching five thirds.

Trainer David Payne said the Doncaster could well be her swansong although owner John Cordina is not so sure.

"It could be her last run," Payne said.

"She is a wonderful mare who hasn't had a lot of luck in the big races.

"And she finds it hard to draw a barrier. When she drew a good one last time it turned out the inside was the wrong part of the track to be.

"I'm just hoping she gets some luck."

Gallant Tess, who has gate 13 in the Doncaster, drew barrier four in the Queen Of The Turf Classic on April 4 but finished seventh with all horses skirting wide on the heavy track.

Prior to that she ran third in the Coolmore Classic and third in the Chipping Norton Stakes where she found it hard to get clear running.

Cordina bought Gallant Tess privately after she failed to reach her $60,000 reserve at the 2005 Easter yearling sale and her career has netted more than $800,000 in prizemoney.

"Perhaps it's her last start, we'll see," Cordina said.

"It would be lovely to send her to stud as a Group One winner."

Alamosa's Doncaster chances were dealt a bit of a blow when he came up with gate 18 of 19 runners and he was at $23 with TAB Sportsbet on Wednesday with All Silent maintaining favouritism at $5.50.

"I think he'll get back a bit and we'll run for luck and let him run home," Gleeson said.

Alamosa's service fee has yet to be determined with Gleeson waiting to see the state of the market in New Zealand.

Cambridge Stud has already announced reductions in service fees for its stallions while major Australian studs Arrowfield and Widden have also dropped their fees.

But whatever the market determines for this year, Gleeson has no doubts he has one of the most commercially viable stallions in New Zealand on his hands.

"He's been a wonderful investment," he said.

"We're a small independent farm, we went out there to get him and probably paid over what he was worth at that particular time but when you're in our situation you just have to do that.

"Now he's multiple Group One-placed in Australia and has an Australian Group One win, there won't be a better horse coming to New Zealand in the last five or six years that's got his credentials with Australasian form."