Group 1 winner He’s Your Man died after suffering a heart attack during trackwork at Rosehill Gardens this morning.
He’s Your Man recorded his biggest race win when he took out the Epsom Handicap during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival. Photo by: Steve Hart
He’s Your Man had just finished a regular piece of trackwork as he built towards the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 11 when he collapsed from a suspected heart attack and died instantly.
The six-year-old gelding started his racing career under the care of Melbourne Cup winning trainer Alain De Royer Dupre in 2012 and he was purchased by clients of Chris Waller after he finished sixth in the Group 2 Grand Prix De Chantilly (2400m), second in the Listed Fred Archer Stakes (2414m) and fifth in the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2671m) in 2013.
Waller was able to get plenty of speed into the legs of He’s Your Man and he performed well without winning in his first three starts in Australia before he failed to fire in the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) in February last year.
He’s Your Man suggested that he was on track for a big 2014 Spring Racing Carnival when he stormed home late to finish third behind Generalife in the Listed Civic Stakes (1350m) at Rosehill Gardens on July 5 and he recorded his maiden race win in Australia with a strong effort in the Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 2.
The Cape Cross gelding was slightly disappointing when third in the Listed Premier’s Cup (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 30, but he returned to winning form in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at the same venue on September 13.
The Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) was the initial spring target for He’s Your Man, but Waller elected to drop the imported galloper back to 1600 metres for the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and the decision paid dividends when he beat Royal Descent to win the Group 1 event before he went on to finish a close second behind Happy Trails in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day.
He’s Your Man started his 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign with promising performances in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) and the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm on February 28, but he was not overly impressive in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21.
