The autumn options are wide open for impressive Australian Guineas 2017 winner Hey Doc who saluted for the punters running out a strong mile to break the recent hoodoo of favourites in the Flemington classic.
Hey Doc was impressive winning the 2017 Australian Guineas as the Flemington favourite. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Last time out the Tony McEvoy-trained Duporth gelding posted a tidy lead-up win at the track in the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) and on Saturday he held his form stepping up to 1600m.
He ran third over the distance in the spring behind Divine Prophet in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m), but the autumn was his time to shine and complete the CS Hayes â Australian Guineas double for the first time since Wandjina (2015).
No favourite in the $750,000 Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) had got the job done since Light Fantastic back in 2008, but Hey Doc quickly put the result to bed showing off a scintillating turn of foot.
Over-racing a little bit early from the inside barrier, jockey Luke Currie eventually got Hey Doc to come back underneath him and settle into fourth as the Lindsay Park-trained filly Fuhryk who crossed from out wide to lead the field around.
The last start Kevin Hayes Stakes winner set a hot pace in this autumnâs Australian Guineas and led from Attention and Legless Veuve.
Once on the straight, Attention was quickly off the rails while Hey Doc and Currie were getting up on the inside to hit the front.
James Cummingsâ reigning Victoria Derby winner Prized Icon second-up was also getting through with a couple of hundred metres left to travel, but he was no match for Hey Doc.
Handing McEvoy his first Group 1 success, Hey Doc showed great acceleration and change-up speed after finding the inside run to shoot away and put his rivals away very quickly.
Prized Icon closed well for a strong second, while $71 roughie shot Snitzon rounded out the Australian Guineas trifecta in an eye-catching third just ahead of the Crown Oaks runner-up Harlow Gold (4th).
âIâm wrapped, heâs been a good horse to me,â Currie said post-win.
âThe team have stuck with me, they couldâve easily found a high-profile hoop to ride him today.
âHe showed a great turn of foot when the run came through.
âItâs a dream come true.â
McEvoy was wrapped with the result and said Hey Doc could back-up with a Sydney run against Winx in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at weight-for-age on March 18 before the $3 million Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) on April 1.
âHe was a deserved favourite coming in and I couldnât be more proud of the horse to have my first Group 1 win,â McEvoy said.
âHeâs achieved what we set him out to achieve.
âThree-year-olds profile quite well for the Doncaster so we could go to the George Ryder and then the Doncaster.â
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2017 Australian Guineas Results & Finishing Order
Flemington Race 7 â 04/03/2017
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Wgt. | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | HEY DOC | Tony McEvoy | Luke Currie | – | 1 | 56.5kg | $3.40F |
| 2 | 1 | PRIZED ICON | James Cummings | Dean Yendall | 0.75L | 2 | 56.5kg | $8 |
| 3 | 12 | SNITZSON | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Andrew Mallyon | 1.05L | 4 | 56.5kg | $71 |
| 4 | 14 | HARLOW GOLD (NZ) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Regan Bayliss | 1.55L | 6 | 54.5kg | $20 |
| 5 | 9 | ANAHEIM | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Noel Callow | 1.95L | 10 | 56.5kg | $31 |
| 6 | 3 | SEABURGE | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Mark Zahra | 2.15L | 3 | 56.5kg | $16 |
| 7 | 2 | DIVINE PROPHET | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Dwayne Dunn | 2.55L | 8 | 56.5kg | $9.50 |
| 8 | 13 | LAND OF PLENTY | Grahame Begg | Steven Arnold | 2.65L | 12 | 56.5kg | $21 |
| 9 | 7 | OAK DOOR | Robert Smerdon | Damian Lane | 2.75L | 15 | 56.5kg | $20 |
| 10 | 8 | SO SI BON | Robbie Laing | Damien Oliver | 3.15L | 14 | 56.5kg | $31 |
| 11 | 5 | MORTONâS FORK | John O’Shea | Craig Williams | 4.15L | 16 | 56.5kg | $14 |
| 12 | 16 | FUHRYK | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Cory Parish | 4.65L | 11 | 54.5kg | $11 |
| 13 | 6 | ATTENTION | Peter & Paul Snowden | Brett Prebble | 4.85L | 9 | 56.5kg | $14 |
| 14 | 11 | INSIDE AGENT (NZ) | Nigel Blackiston | Brad Rawiller | 6.35L | 13 | 56.5kg | $31 |
| 15 | 10 | THROSSELL | Ciaron Maher | Ms Linda Meech | 7.1L | 7 | 56.5kg | $41 |
| 16 | 15 | LEGLESS VEUVE (NZ) | Stuart Webb | Ms Katelyn Mallyon | 9.85L | 5 | 54.5kg | $26 |
| – | 19e | HARDHAM | David Brideoake | – | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 18e | REDOUBLE | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | – | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 17e | THEANSWERMYFRIEND | Robert Smerdon | – | – | 0 | – | – |