Classy four year old Hey Doc’s win in the Aurie’s Star Handicap at Flemington last Saturday will have him tuned up nicely for the Group 1 $1m Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 2.

Hey Doc was having his first run back since running sixth to Vega Magic in the Group 1 $1m Darley Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on May 20 and regular rider Luke Currie was able to lift the Duporth gelding across the line for a narrow win in the Group 3 $150,000 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m).

The judge was able to give Hey Doc ($5) a winning margin of a nose over Cannyescent ($3.60 favourite) who was one of four runners from the powerful Lindsay Park stable.

Trainer Tony McEvoy was quick to praise the cool ride by Currie and said that Hey Doc is now ready to be tested at weight for age in the Memsie Stakes.

“Luke was magnificent on him, he couldn’t get cover so he didn’t fight him and when the fight came Hey Doc was in for the fight. He lifted with his big weight and showed that he was a class horse,” McEvoy told racing.com.

“He did a really good job today (Saturday) and this will turn his coat and really bring him on in leaps and bounds and we’re right on track to head to that weight-for-age Group 1 in two weeks.

“The Memsie will decide (the horse’s future). If he’s really effective at weight-for-age then we can look at the Makybe Diva at Flemington, it’s over the mile (1600m) at Flemington which is where he had his biggest win (Australian Guineas).

“Or we could freshen and go to the Rupert Clarke, there are so many options for a horse like him and I’m just really excited to have him back.”

Hey Doc claimed his Group 1 win as a three year old when he won the Group 1 $750,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington during the 2017 Melbourne Autumn Carnival and he was also placed third behind Divine Prophet, beaten three quarters of a length, in the Group 1 $1m Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield during the 2106 Melbourne Spring Carnival.

Early betting for the Memsie Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au has Hey Doc as the second pick at $6 behind the Darren Weir trained multiple Group 1 winner Black Heart Bart at $5.

Le Romain from the Kris Lees stable is next in the market order at $7 just ahead of David Vandyke’s Group 1 winning mare Yankee Rose at $8.