Ex kiwi’s Smartee and Jordy ready to resume for Hall

Former New Zealand pacers and now two of WA’s best, Mister Smartee (Always B Miki) and Cyclone Jordy (Art Major) are close to resuming for West Australian harness racing trainer Gary Hall Snr.

Mister Smartee won one of his two starts as a two year old in New Zealand before he was bought by West Australian interests and placed with Hall.

In Australia he’s won a further seventeen races including three Group Ones – The Golden Nugget, The Freemantle Cup and $1.2 million The Nullarbor.

“He’s in for next Friday as long as the field holds up. He’s had a good prep this time. Actually last prep he got rushed into those races and still went pretty good. I think he’s had a better preparation this time so I’m confident he’ll go well,” Hall said.

Cyclone Jordy had five starts in New Zealand for Tait Hopkins, winning three races including the Group One Cardigan Bay Stakes Young Guns Final.

Since being in Australia, the now three year old is unbeaten in nine starts. His major win was in the Group One The Golden Slipper.

“He’s probably going to start next Friday too in a prelude to the WA Derby but most times I nominate him people scratch and sometimes the field doesn’t hold up. If he doesn’t go there, he’ll start in the Battle Of Bunbury the following week ($35,000 three year old feature over 2,100 metres).”

Hall is happy with his progress.

“He looks better than he was as a two year old. He’s working with Mister Smartee and they don’t finish far apart. I hadn’t driven him before in trackwork because Junior stays with him all the time. I drove him on Wednesday and I think he’s a bit better than I thought he was.”

The horse’s main target is the $200,000 West Australian Derby at Gloucester Park on Friday 31^st October.

Cyclone Jordy’s half brother Cyclone Rebel was a smart winner at Alexandra Park on Friday night.

Despite being in the game for a long time, Hall says he still feels the pressure of having a good horse.

“It keeps me up at times and you worry about them all the time. Trying to keep them sound, trying to prepare them for the right races. It’s not an easy job. I’ve had a lot of luck over the years and I’m pretty lucky with how things have gone. I’ve got a great driver in Junior (son Gary Hall junior) so that takes a bit of the pressure off.”

Hall junior will venture to New Zealand in November for the World Drivers Championship.

“It’s a pretty big thing to represent your country isn’t it. He’ll go well. Every time he’s gone to New Zealand he’s driven well in the heats and the final with Im Themightyquinn and the Auckland Cup. People seem to rate him over there more than they do here.”

Hall snr has trained over 3,200 winners including 50 at Group One level and he’s trained six millionaire pacers – Im Themightyquinn, Chicago Bull, Mister Smartee, My Hard Copy, The Falcon Strike and Beaudiene Boaz.

“Without doubt the best horse I’ve had is Im Themightyquinn, mainly because of his record and he had that speed that not many horses have. I had Alta Christiano who was close to him but suffered from bad legs and never reached his full potential.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink