Memsie Stakes early Spring Carnival appointment for Hey Doc

The Group 1 $1m Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 2 will be rising four year old Hey Doc’s first 2017 Spring Carnival appointment.

Hey Doc, above, will kick off his Spring Carnival campaign in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Hey Doc, above, will kick off his Spring Carnival campaign in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Trainer Tony McEvoy is giving Hey Doc a short break after running an unlucky sixth in the Group 1 $1m Darley Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on May 20 before starting his preparation for a very ambition Spring Carnival campaign.

“The Memsie is an early target,” McEvoy told AAP.

“It’s a traditional kick-off so we’ll head towards that and then on to the Makybe Diva hopefully.”

A pleasing run in the Group 1 $500,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington will give McEvoy some thought of running Hey Doc in the Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 28.

“We’ll see how he’s performing in his early spring races and work it out from there,” McEvoy said.

McEvoy was very happy with the effort of Hey Doc to finish only two and a half lengths from the winner, Vega Magic, in the Goodwood after the three year old had to jump from barrier eighteen in the twenty horse field and was luckless throughout the run.

“His run was superb,” McEvoy said.

“If he had drawn a gate he’d have been right in the finish.

“He had to go back from the draw and then he had his momentum stopped in the straight at a bad time which probably cost him running a place.

“Overall we were very pleased with him.”

Hey Doc proved that he was the top three year old miler during the 2017 Melbourne Autumn Carnival with his win in the Group 1 $750,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 4.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.