Co-trainer Calvin McEvoy is hoping for a fairytale result with Hey Doc who is one of the top chances in Saturday’s Group 1 $1m Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot in Perth.
Hey Doc, above, is one of the top fancies in the 2019 Winterbottom Stales at Ascot in Perth. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Hey Doc will be having his second run back from an injury enforced spell in the Winterbottom Stakes after finishing third in the Group 3 $160,000 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1300m) at Sandown on November 16 and McEvoy said that the dual Group 1 winner was cherry ripe for this weekend’s assignment.
“I think it would be a fairytale story if he could get a third Group 1 this weekend,” Calvin McEvoy told RSN Racing Pulse.
“A nice piece of work this morning should have him cherry ripe.”
“If he takes the necessary improvement fitness wise, he will be bloody hard to beat.”
Head trainer for the stable, Tony McEvoy, is in Perth along with strapper Camille Piantoni and the reports from the West are very positive.
“Dad (Tony) got there yesterday and couldn’t be more pleased with how the horse looks,” Calvin McEvoy said.
“Camille, who has looked after him for his whole career, she is really pleased with him and he has taken to Perth very well and he hasn’t missed a beat.”
“He was the horse that put our brand on the map. He won the Australian Guineas and then he came back and won the Manikato.”
“He has been really great for the brand and obviously he has been off the scene a long time.”
“We gave him a nice slow build up this preparation, we took our time, and there is certainly a lot of improvement.”
“If he can draw a nice soft gate, he doesn’t have to lead, but he is a go forward horse.”
“I think if he gets an economical run I am confident he can run a race.”
Hey Doc had to have surgery to remove a bone chip from his near fore joint after running eighth in the Group 2 $200,000 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington during the 2018 Melbourne Spring Carnival which resulted in him spending over twelve months on the sidelines.
A final field of fifteen sprinters will line up in the Winterbottom Stakes and Hey Doc is on the fourth line of betting at $8 with Ladbrokes.com.au behind Stradbroke Handicap winner Trekking at $3 and the two local sprinters Flirtini at $5.50 and Vital Silver at $6.50.
Regular rider Luke Currie will have the mount again on Hey Doc in the Winterbottom Stakes.
Betting for the 2019 Winterbottom Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3 Trekking, $5.50 Flirtini, $6.50 Vital Silver, $8 Hey Doc, $10 Valour Road, $12 Stageman, $14 Dubious, $15 Endless Drama, Home Of The Brave, Viridine, $19 Malaguerra, $26 Misty Metal, Rock Magic, $31 Spirit Of Valor, $81 Durendal.
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