Perth was just what the Doc ordered

Prized gelding Hey Doc gave his Eastern States owners a Western Australian holiday to remember when he took out the 2019 Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) in a dominant performance at Ascot.

Finishing his career as a four-time Group 1 winner, the champion horse provided countless memories for his ownership group, but one of them, Joanne Harvey, said that day at Ascot has always stood out.

“My siblings and I were part of an amazing group of owners and a truly wonderful horse,” Joanne said.

“Being in Perth to experience winning the Winterbottom was one of our most exciting wins of his Group 1 career,” she said.

Hey Doc jumped from barrier 13 and paid $13, which some associate with an omen of bad luck – but not for him.

To the ownership group’s elation, he took luck out of the equation by jumping to the lead and controlling the race, annihilating his rivals by 2.5 lengths after running a 34.19-second last 600m in a slick 1:08:59!

Owner Damien Smith said he will never forget the amazing ride Hey Doc took them all on.

“Coming to Perth was fantastic, we had a brilliant few days seeing the sights then onto Ascot to top it all off,” Damien said.

“I’d previously been to Perth but not to the races, and I can’t wait to go back.”

The competitive field that day making victory even sweeter, denying locals Vital Silver and Rock Magic a Group 1 success in the race which featured representation from Godolphin and Coolmore.

Before crossing the border into WA, the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained gelding had previously tasted Group 1 success in the Australian Guineas at Flemington and the Manikato Stakes at Mooney Valley.

Still, he was far from ready to slow down after his Winterbottom success and also went on to claim his second Manikato Stakes in 2020 after returning back to Victoria.

Hey Doc arrived in Perth a few weeks prior to the big race, with the Parnham stable showing amazing hospitality in the lead-up to the Winterbottom.

With more than $3 million won in prizemoney across Australia, Hey Doc’s career provided the owners with the experience of a lifetime.

“The journey we had with Hey Doc was very special, but certainly Perth was a highlight and a wonderful celebration of a great horse,” Joanne said.

The owners soaked up the true Perth racing experience, with lunch in the members area at Ascot followed by celebrating their Group 1 success in the winners’ circle and then onto Crown Perth to top off an unforgettable trip West.

Nominations for the TABtouch Pinnacles have seen a spike from last year, with strong interstate stables showing their interest.

High-profile trainers including Chris Waller, Bjorn Baker, Ciaron Maher, James Cummings, Annabel Neasham, Gai Waterhouse and Rob Archibald have all put runners forward in a bid toto emulate the success of Hey Doc in 2019.