Hey Doc given clean bill of heath to race

MULTIPLE Group 1 winner Hey Doc is on track for a tilt at the Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai if he pleases trainer Tony McEvoy in his Melbourne assignments.

Hey Doc was a dominant winner of the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) in Perth on November 30 at his second start back from 14 months off the scene following joint surgery.

The gelding’s next assignment is Friday night’s Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at the Valley.

Yesterday the six-year-old produced a pleasing solo gallop over 1000m at the track with Luke Currie aboard.

McEvoy, who trains in partnership with son Calvin, has also pencilled in the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 8 before the 1200m Al Quoz in March.

“If he runs well on Friday night, we’ll look at going to the Orr, but Dubai is definitely on the cards,” McEvoy said.

“We want to go there and that’s on March 28, so it’s a little way off.

“On his win in the Winterbottom, he would run well in any sprint anywhere in the world.

“So if he can just keep in that form, he’ll be very hard to beat over there.”

Australian sprinters have won the Al Quoz twice — Ortensia in 2012 and Buffering in 2016. McEvoy has kept Hey Doc ticking over since his return from Perth and expects him to be hard to beat in the Australia Stakes at a course where he won the 2017 Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m).

“Luke was pretty happy with him this morning,” McEvoy said. “He said he felt nice and strong and normal, and used his action well. He loves the Valley.

“Two months between runs with a big, heavy horse like him, it’s very hard to keep him right up to the mark so he hasn’t been screwed down tight for this, but he’s pretty close.”

Hey Doc’s Group 1-winning stablemate Manuel also galloped at the Valley and will make his return in the Australia Stakes before bidding to win back-to-back Orr Stakes.

McEvoy said Manuel was tired after his previous campaign, which ended in Brisbane during the winter, and the trainer hoped the stable would be rewarded for not racing him in the spring.

“We started off in this race with him last year before he won the Orr, so we’re on the same path,” McEvoy said.