Group 1 winners Hey Doc and I Am A Star headline the nominations for the Group 3 $150,000 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
The Tony McEvoy trained Hey Doc was the winner of the Group 1 $750,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington during the 2017 Melbourne Autumn Carnival and will be having his first start back since running sixth to Vega Magic in the Group 1 $1m Darley Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on May 20.
McEvoy has also nominated the lightly raced four year old Manual for the Aurie’s Star Handciap.
I Am A Star claimed Group 1 Glory for trainer Shane Nichols when she beat the older mares during her three year old year in the Group 1 $500,000 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington during the 2016 Melbourne Cup Carnival.
I Am A Star was back in the winner’s stall again during the Autumn Carnival with wins in the Group 2 $200,000 Kewney Stakes (1400m) at Flemington and in the Group 2 $200,000 Sunline Stakes (1600m) at The Valley and was given a break following her third to Secret Agenda in the Group 1 $1m Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on May 6.
The Lindsay Park Team Of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig has four nominations for the Aurie’s Star Handicap, Cannyescent, Grande Rosso, Ruettiger, and Snitzson.
Snitzson will be having his first run as a four year old and ran the best race of his career when third at long odds to Hey Doc in the Australian Guineas while Cannyescent is working his way up through the grades with wins at his last three starts at Rosehill, Sandown and Flemington.
Victoria’s premier trainer Darren Weir has only one horse nominated for the Aurie’s Star Handicap, Japanese import Brave Smash, who will be having his first run in Australia if the stable accepts for Saturday’s race.
Nominations for the Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m)
# | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 31215560×3 | BEATNIKS | M | 7 | Matthew Dale | 92 |
2 | 0x280x344x | BRAVE SMASH (JPN) | H | 5 | Darren Weir | 90 |
3 | 26×1516111 | CANNYESCENT | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 93 |
4 | 01x0533x53 | FLIPPANT | M | 5 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 100 |
5 | 717121175x | GRANDE ROSSO | G | 6 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 100 |
6 | 134x31196x | HEY DOC | G | 4 | Tony McEvoy | 105 |
7 | 31x271183x | I AM A STAR (NZ) | M | 4 | Shane Nichols | 107 |
8 | 4805×50689 | JERSEY WHISTLER | G | 8 | Tara Cochrane | 62 |
9 | x2539x0925 | KIRANI | G | 7 | Pat Hyland | 76 |
10 | 15920×0926 | LITTLE INDIAN | M | 5 | Robbie Laing | 68 |
11 | 4x25x413x0 | MANUEL | H | 4 | Tony McEvoy | 65 |
12 | x3189348x3 | MURT THE FLIRT | G | 6 | Brendan McCarthy | 88 |
13 | 9504530014 | PLAY MASTER | G | 9 | Peter Smith | 85 |
14 | 14x64x0339 | RUETTIGER (NZ) | G | 6 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 90 |
15 | 6x114173x | SNITZSON | H | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 94 |
16 | 911x63280x | WE’VE GOT THIS | G | 6 | Greg Eurell | 97 |
17 | 587×842574 | YESTERDAY’S SONGS | G | 7 | Michael Moroney | 93 |