Three years after winning the $1 million Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley, the Tony and Calvin McEvoy trained Hey Doc turned back the clock to win the feature again at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Looking an absolute picture of health in the saddling paddock, the seven-year-old gelded son of Duporth enjoyed the run of the race under Luke Currie.
Sitting just off the pace set by Pippie and Bella Vista, Hey Doc took command at the 250 metres before holding the challenge of the fast-finishing Street Cry (IRE) gelding Trekking by three-quarters of a length with a short-neck back to Spendthrift Farm’s Written Tycoon entire Dirty Work.
The lightly races Hey Doc has won just once since his triumph in the Manikato back in 2017.
That came in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot last November.
Also the winner of the Group 1 VRC Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington in 2017, Hey Doc advances his record to 10 wins, two seconds and three thirds from 28 starts with earnings of $3,071,800.
“This is very emotional, what a great old horse,” Calvin McEvoy said.
“He was dads first Group 1 winner under the McEvoy/Mitchell brand and he was my first Group 1 winner since my partnership with him.
“Luke had a scare during the week and Camille his handler had a tumble off a young one yesterday so it’s been a big team effort and I’m so thrilled.
“Camille has ridden him every day for the last few years. When I went up to her when she was on the ground she was in a lot of pain. She said I’m not crying because of the pain, I’m crying because I can’t lead up Doc.
“We targeted this. He needed those couple of runs. He is an older, bigger horse now. On Tuesday morning we brought him here and gave him a good bit of work. He had a bit of a puff, but we knew it would clean him up perfectly.
This is his fourth Group 1 and not many horses win four and this is a very special moment.”
Consigned to the 2015 Inglis Premier Yearling sale by Rosemont Stud, Hey Doc was knocked down to McEvoy Mitchell Racing for $85,000.
He is the second and final foal of the 3-time winning General Nediym mare Heyington Honey who died in February 2015.
Also, an Inglis Premier Yearling, Heyington Honey was purchased by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock for $17,000 at the 2009 Inglis August Thoroughbred Sale.
She had just two foals. Her first was the winning Congrats (USA) mare Heather Honey who has a 2yo colt by Street Boss and was covered by Written Tycoon last spring.
Hey Doc has been the standout performer for Duporth, a Group 1-winning son of Red Ransom (USA) out of the eight time stakes-winning mare Staging (Success Express).
Duporth stands at Aquis Farm, Queensland at a value fee of $4,400.
