3 minute read
While some may have been deterred by the wide draw, the Team McEvoy trained Hey Doc had all the answers when leading throughout to win the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes.
Jumping away beautifully from the outside, Hey Doc crossed with ease and from there it was virtually game over.
A well judged ride by jockey Luke Currie, Hey Doc was home a long way out, scoring easily by two-and-a-half lengths.
"I definitely would have liked to have drawn inside a few, but he offset that in 50m, he was very quick across, he got it nice and easy in front, once he got over he felt like he was never going to get beat," Currie said.
"Any horse to come back from having 18 months off, you can't underestimate the effort by both the horse and the staff and anyone who's had anything to do with him."
"It's a big team effort and it's well deserved today."
The first Group 1 success for father/son partnership Tony and Calvin McEvoy, Tony was understandably thrilled post-race.
"Very special, Calvin was working in Melbourne today, it's just so nice to have him onboard with me, this will a first of many I assure you," Tony McEvoy said.
"It's been a long campaign, about five months work to get him back. We gave him a long time with his injury and then we gave him a long slow preparation back.
"He was very close at Sandown, but he wasn't quite there, his class got him to within a neck.
"To see the improvement in him physically from there to here, I wish I was punter, I would have had a bet."
"He was fabulous today, all the signs were telling us that."
A remarkable training performance, Hey Doc collected his third Group 1 success and stamped himself one of Currie's all-time favourites.
"He's a special horse to me, he probably cemented myself my relationship with Tony McEvoy, he's made the difference in my career." Currie said.
Second up off a lengthy 427 break, McEvoy hadn't always planned to go to Perth with the six-year-old, but was very happy he did.
"There's so few races I can run him in and when I missed the VRC Sprint, I told Perth Racing that he was coming and they've been tremendous help to us," McEvoy said.
"Neville Parnham and his staff have put us up there and made a real joy for us and the ownership group."