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Hey Doc held off a brave fighting effort by the Godolphin galloper Trekking to win the Group 1 Manikato Stakes at The Valley.

Hey Doc has won a second Manikato Stakes with a brave fighting effort to hold off the Godolphin galloper Trekking to win the Group 1 race at The Valley on Friday night. 

The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained sprinter won the race in 2017 and has returned three years later to claim an equalling as thrilling victory. 

Hey Doc spent some time on the injured list in between and Friday's night's success was his fourth at the highest level. 

Ridden by Luke Currie, Hey Doc ($10) scored a three-quarter length win from the $3.60 favourite Trekking with Dirty Work ($6) a short-neck away third. 

Calvin McEvoy said the stable was so proud of Hey Doc and dedicated the win to whole team. 

Hey Doc needed a couple of runs to have him at his prime for Friday night's race. 

After a first-up eighth in the Group 1 Moir Stakes last month, Hey Doc finished fourth in the Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield on October 10. 

McEvoy said the Manikato Stakes had been a target race for Hey Doc. 

"He needed a couple of runs. He's an older bigger horse now," McEvoy said. 

"On Tuesday morning we brought him here, gave him a good bit of work. 

"He was a bit casual on his own. He had a bit of a puff but we knew it would clean him up perfectly. 

"There is a great bunch of owners in him. I wish they were here.  

"They've been patient throughout his whole career as he's had a couple of setbacks. 

"When he came back and won the (Group 1) Winterbottom off injury that was a special moment, but this is his fourth Group 1 now. 

"There's not many horses that win four and it's a very special moment." 

For Currie there was a moment that the thought riding in the Manikato Stakes may have been lost following a barrier incident at Geelong on Wednesday. 

Currie was sidelined with a neck injury earlier in the year, and when tossed from the barriers at Geelong, landed awkwardly. 

"I landed on my head and neck in exactly the same spot of the injury that I just came back from," Currie said. 

"I'd like to thank everyone that helped me out there on Thursday in hospital in Geelong and especially my physio, Andrew Wilson. 

"I keep backing up to go and see him and he's been looking after me. He got me to the races today." 

John Allen, who rode the runner-up Trekking, said last week's hard run in The Everest at Randwick, when fourth behind Classique Legend, may have taken its toll. 

"He's run super," Allen said. 

"Maybe that hard run last week might've just told a little bit. 

"That's just offering an excuse as he tried his heart out to win."