Duporth's Hey Doc Claims his Second Manikato Stakes - Three Years After His First

Mark Smith - Friday October 23

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.

Hey Doc turns back the clock (Pat Scala/Racing Photos)

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.

Advertisement

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.”

Hey Doc a stable favourite (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

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. 

Duporth

Advertisment

Race Result - Manikato Stakes Gr1 1200m

Moonee Valley Track: Good(3) Time: 1:08.76
1
Hey Doc
- 7g Duporth (AUS) x Heyington Honey (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: L Currie 58.5
2
0.8
Trekking
- 6g Street Cry (IRE) x Outdoor (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: John Allen 58.5
3
1.0
Dirty Work
- 4h Written Tycoon (AUS) x Maidel (AUS) (Ad Valorem (USA))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: W Pike 58.5
4
2.7
Brooklyn Hustle
- 4m Starspangledbanner (AUS) x Joint Aspiration (GB) (Pivotal (GB))
Tnr: J Warren & D Krongold Rdr: M Zahra 56.5
5
4.2
Kementari
- 6g Lonhro (AUS) x Yavanna (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Craig Williams 58.5
6
6.2
Lyre
- 4m Lonhro (AUS) x Erato (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: J B Mc Donald 56.5
7
6.3
Pippie
- 5m Written Tycoon (AUS) x Coupe Express (AUS) (Ne Coupez Pas (USA))
Tnr: J & C Meagher Rdr: Damian Lane 56.5
8
6.6
Splintex
- 4h Snitzel (AUS) x Acquired (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Mark Newnham Rdr: K Mc Evoy 58.5
9
12.6
Bella Vella
- 6m Commands (AUS) x Forget The Weather (USA) (Stormy Atlantic (USA))
Tnr: Will Clarken Rdr: Jamie Kah 56.5
More Reading...
G1 Shamus Award - Quintessa Wins Proisir Plate
The early spring has tended to bring the very best out of Quintessa, and that trend continued at Ellerslie on Saturday with a spectacular last-to-first performance at $36 odds in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate.
Sires With Winners - Saturday September 6
Here is the full list of 106 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Concorde Stakes Success For Headwall
With the first two across the line highlighting their claims for an Everest slot, Matthew Smith’s Headwall (Dream Ahead) came with a well-timed run in the $1m Group 3 ATC Concorde Stakes (1000m) to deny the unlucky Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel).
Alpha Sofie Wins Listed Atlantic Jewel
A decision to transfer talented Capitalist  filly Alpha Sofie from the Queensland stable of Jason Edwards to Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman in Victoria paid immediate dividends at Moonee Valley on Saturday when she charged home to win the $175,000 Listed MRC Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m).
Extremely Good Filly Wins G2 Furious for Myracehorse
There has always been a big boom on Extreme Choice filly Apocalyptic following her flashing second on debut last December and we finally saw her back at the races at Randwick on Saturday and it proved well worth the wait!
$750,000 Deep Field Colt a SW on Debut
Nearly all of the good colts and geldings by now pensioned sire Deep Field find their way to Hong Kong, but astute trainer Clinton McDonald was determined to keep Rosberg paying $750,000 for the colt at the Inglis Ready 2Race Sale last year and he was rewarded at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Lightning Strikes at The Valley
It didn't carry Black Type, but the $200,000 MVRC So You Think Stakes (1500m) at Moonee Valley was packed with intrigue and G1 winners with spring aspirations.
Barnstorming Performance As Baraqiel Wins G1 Moir Stakes
Off the back of his impressive last start Listed Norman Carlyon Stakes victory at the same track, Snitzel gelding Baraqiel had everyone talking, and rightfully so, as he justified the faith of his trainers, charging late to win the $750,000 Group 1 MVRC Moir Stakes (1000m) in the Bennett Racing silks.
Pericles Turns Back the Clock
Six year-old Street Boss (USA) gelding Pericles won the Group II ATC Tramway Stakes (1400m) two years ago in 2023 when trained by James Cummings and he repeated the effort at Randwick on Saturday, but this time he is in the care of Bjorn Baker.
Duporth's Hey Doc Adds The Winterbottom Stakes to His Group 1 Haul
The career of the Group 1 Australian Guineas and Group 1 Manikato Stakes hero Hey Doc looked to be all but over when he was sidelined for more than a year after undergoing bone chip surgery but at just his second start after his enforced holiday the 6yo son of Duporth earned a third win at the highest level in Saturday’s $1 million Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot in Perth.