Hey Doc will be out to give prominent trainer Tony McEvoy his first ever win in the Australian Guineas (Race 7) when he steps out favourite for the three-year-old classic over 1600m at Flemington on Saturday.
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The bay gelding topped off his preparation with a dominant win in the CS Hayes Stakes over 1400m here a fortnight ago and his price has tightened even further after landing favourably in gate two.
The Hayes stable has proven a more than useful reference of late with the last two Guineas winners, Palentino and Wandjina, first across the line in that race as well, although the former would cede the winner’s cheque to Tivaci in the steward’s room.
In at Unibet.com.au headquarters, where Black Heart Bart’s narrow Futurity win and Catchy’s Blue Diamond triumph cost us a tidy six-figure sum, we’ll be looking to recoup some of those losses by opposing Hey Doc and are thus challenging the punters to continue our bleak autumn.
We’ve already seen some hefty bets come in for the favourite and expect the money to continue to pour in come raceday.
Caulfield Guineas winner Divine Prophet will be aiming to become the first horse since the champion Mahogany to complete the Victorian Guineas double but has landed awkwardly out in barrier 10.
Slowly away, jockey Dwayne Dunn attempted to track Black Heart Bart into the Orr first-up but got back further than desired and was beaten nearly four lengths at the finish.
He appears much better suited back amongst his own age group though and with a bit of luck in running should be right in the finish.
The Hayes stable had a day out last week after landing two of the Group 1’s and they’ll attack this with a four strong contingent that includes Seaburge, Harlow Gold and Fuhryk.
The former comes off a disappointing effort in the Hayes where he died noticeably on his run over the final furlong.
Despite finishing in front of Hey Doc at Caulfield in the spring, it’s hard to see how he could turn the tables off that run and that gives us ample reason to take him on.
Harlow Gold, meanwhile, is a horse we’ve always had an opinion of and could be a bit of a sleeper here after working home soundly behind Kenedna in The Vanity.
The second of the camp’s fillies, Fuhryk was a late scratching out of the Angus Armanasco last weekend after smashing her head in the barrier stalls.
While she’s proven to be a bit of a cash cow for punters of late, that mishap was surely detrimental to her conditioning.
With her trainer admitting it was ‘less than ideal, we’re far from convinced she will cope with the distance rise against some decent calibre horses.
With connections of first emergency and runaway last start winner Theanswermyfriend sweating on the plans of dual acceptor Prized Icon, we were instead looking to Snowden runner Attention as another capable of causing a boilover for us.
A winner of the BRC Sires last winter, Attention is on the seven-day back-up after fighting on gamely behind Black Heart Bart in the Futurity.
He failed at his only previous go over the 1600m but with the Hong-Kong based Brett Prebble out to ride him we expect him to park in the leading division and stick on gamely again.
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Tips:
- Hey Doc
- Divine Prophet
- Harlow Gold
- Inside Agent
