Group 1 winners Hey Doc and I Am A Star headline the nominations for the Group 3 $150,000 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Hey Doc, above, has been nominated for the Aurie's Star Handicap at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Hey Doc, above, has been nominated for the Aurie’s Star Handicap at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Tony McEvoy trained Hey Doc was the winner of the Group 1 $750,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington during the 2017 Melbourne Autumn Carnival and will be having his first start back since running sixth to Vega Magic in the Group 1 $1m Darley Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on May 20.

McEvoy has also nominated the lightly raced four year old Manual for the Aurie’s Star Handciap.

I Am A Star claimed Group 1 Glory for trainer Shane Nichols when she beat the older mares during her three year old year in the Group 1 $500,000 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington during the 2016 Melbourne Cup Carnival.

I Am A Star was back in the winner’s stall again during the Autumn Carnival with wins in the Group 2 $200,000 Kewney Stakes (1400m) at Flemington and in the Group 2 $200,000 Sunline Stakes (1600m) at The Valley and was given a break following her third to Secret Agenda in the Group 1 $1m Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on May 6.

The Lindsay Park Team Of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig has four nominations for the Aurie’s Star Handicap, Cannyescent, Grande Rosso, Ruettiger, and Snitzson.

Snitzson will be having his first run as a four year old and ran the best race of his career when third at long odds to Hey Doc in the Australian Guineas while Cannyescent is working his way up through the grades with wins at his last three starts at Rosehill, Sandown and Flemington.

Victoria’s premier trainer Darren Weir has only one horse nominated for the Aurie’s Star Handicap, Japanese import Brave Smash, who will be having his first run in Australia if the stable accepts for Saturday’s race.

Nominations for the Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m)

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 31215560×3 BEATNIKS M 7 Matthew Dale 92
2 0x280x344x BRAVE SMASH (JPN) H 5 Darren Weir 90
3 26×1516111 CANNYESCENT G 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 93
4 01x0533x53 FLIPPANT M 5 Peter & Paul Snowden 100
5 717121175x GRANDE ROSSO G 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 100
6 134x31196x HEY DOC G 4 Tony McEvoy 105
7 31x271183x I AM A STAR (NZ) M 4 Shane Nichols 107
8 4805×50689 JERSEY WHISTLER G 8 Tara Cochrane 62
9 x2539x0925 KIRANI G 7 Pat Hyland 76
10 15920×0926 LITTLE INDIAN M 5 Robbie Laing 68
11 4x25x413x0 MANUEL H 4 Tony McEvoy 65
12 x3189348x3 MURT THE FLIRT G 6 Brendan McCarthy 88
13 9504530014 PLAY MASTER G 9 Peter Smith 85
14 14x64x0339 RUETTIGER (NZ) G 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 90
15 6x114173x SNITZSON H 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 94
16 911x63280x WE’VE GOT THIS G 6 Greg Eurell 97
17 587×842574 YESTERDAY’S SONGS G 7 Michael Moroney 93

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.