Tony McEvoy’s in-form youngster Hey Doc is one of the headline Stutt Stakes 2016 nominations received by Racing Victoria for the three-years-old showdown at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Friday night.
Hey Doc is early favourite to take out the 2016 Bill Stutt Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night. Photo: Jenny Barnes.
Four Group status races pepper the Moir Stakes Night program this weekend including the $200,000 Group 2 Bill Stutt Stakes (1600m), which attracted 17 three-year-olds at nomination stage on Monday.
Heading the pre-field Stutt Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au for the set weights clash at $5 is Duporth gelding Hey Doc who comes off back-to-back wins in non-Black Type company this time in.
After a failed 15th to Extreme Choice when defeating just one other runner in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old in late February, Hey Doc has come back for two wins this time in.
The latest was at Moonee Valley on September 3 over 1514m when he carted 57.5kg to a smart 1.25 length success over Rocketeer.
The Mick Price-trained runner-up in that same three-years-old handicap lead-up, Smart Missile gelding Rocketeer is also nominated for a rematch in the Stutt Stakes and pays $6.50 in the all-in markets.
Blue Diamond winning trainer Price has also nominated for Stratum colt Land Of Plenty who ran fourth over the Caulfield mile to Harlow Gold on September 17.
The other top fancy in futures Stutt Stakes betting this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival at $5.50 is the Lisa Latta-trained Kiwi raider Manhattan Street.
The nicely-bred Manhattan Rain colt is yet to race down under but has won three of his four races back home.
His sole defeat to date was a brave second when narrowly nosed out of the Listed Wanganui Guineas (1340m) win on September 3 by Murray Baker’s 2016 VRC Derby hopeful Highlad.
In a wide open Stutt Stakes line-up this season a further four three-year-olds currently pay under $10 for the win including Detective ($7) for Peter & Paul Snowden.
The in-form Snitzel colt won first-up at Wyong over 1350m in his first run since an eighth to David Vandyke’s filly Yankee Rose at Randwick in the Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) in April.
The Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) runner-up to Seaburge at Flemington in March then improved to win the Listed Exford Plate (1400m) second-up when back at Flemington on September 10.
Dominating the entries numbers-wise with four nominations is the Lindsay Park stable whose best hope looks to be More Than Ready filly Zunbaqa ($12) who ran fourth to Detective beaten only 1.25 lengths in the Exford Plate on the back of four straight wins.
The other most notable nominees include the Team Hawkes-trained So You Think colt Inference, Ciaron Maher’s fellow son of So You Think Kaching and the John O’Shea-trained Exford Plate runner-up Tessera.
See below for the full Stutt Stakes 2016 nominations, futures markets for which are now available at our No. 1 recommended bookmaker Ladbrokes.com.au.
2016 Stutt Stakes Nominations
Moonee Valley Racecourse – 30/09/2016
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 61359 | BACK TO THE BOWLER | G | 3 | Stuart Webb | 63 |
| 2 | 2x2228x11 | DETECTIVE | C | 3 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 78 |
| 3 | 83×9547 | FROMPARIS WITHLOVE | F | 3 | Leon & Troy Corstens | 61 |
| 4 | 1240×11 | HEY DOC | G | 3 | Tony McEvoy | 76 |
| 5 | 21×11 | INFERENCE | C | 3 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 72 |
| 6 | 213 | KACHING | C | 3 | Ciaron Maher | 64 |
| 7 | 514 | LAND OF PLENTY | C | 3 | Mick Price | 63 |
| 8 | 5×11 | MANDALAY BAY | G | 3 | Matt Laurie | 66 |
| 9 | 1112 | MANHATTAN STREET | C | 3 | Lisa Latta | 73 |
| 10 | 5x45512x05 | PYX CHAMBER | C | 3 | John O’Shea | 67 |
| 11 | 6×5122 | ROCKETEER | G | 3 | Mick Price | 66 |
| 12 | 114×72 | TESSERA | C | 3 | John O’Shea | 81 |
| 13 | 41 | THE RICH FISHER | G | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 62 |
| 14 | 42 | VON RICHTER | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 59 |
| 15 | 321 | WATERLOO SUNSET | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 62 |
| 16 | 1483 | WHYOUASK | F | 3 | Matt Laurie | 64 |
| 17 | 911114 | ZUNBAQA | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 76 |
