Cyclone Jordy completes whirlwind 12 months with G1 for Hopkins

With just his third career victory since going out on his own accord, harness racing trainer Tate Hopkins fulfilled a lifelong dream of training a Group One winner with the success of Cyclone Jordy (Art Major) in the $110,000 Breckon Farms Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stakes tonight at Alexandra Park.

The young man from Taupaki is a familiar name in the North Island ranks having formally trained in partnership with Frank Cooney for nine years between 2013 and 2021 racking up 87 winners and $999,094 in stakes.

The pair managed a couple of Group One placings together with Solid Gold and Let’s Elope, with the latter coincidentally being the last horse Cooney’s colours saluted the judge with in a Group One when winning the 2011 Sires Stakes 2YO Final at Addington.

After Cooney suffered serious health complications in March last year, Hopkins found himself taking the leap in taking over the training operation, and in little over a year has fulfilled the promise and trust shown by his mentor and role model in grand style.

“It’s such a privilege to get that group One with those colours tonight, he’s done so much for me and my family, it’s unbelievable to be honest,” said an emotional Hopkins post race.

“It is real good, it’s job accomplished, that’s what we set out to do and he can go out for a spell now,” said Hopkins.

Cyclone Jordy had cemented himself as the North Island’s leading juvenile since beginning his career with a luckless 5th in the early Autumn.

Dominant victories followed with the first Young Guns heat At Alexandra Park and a week later at Cambridge before narrowly having his colours lowered in last weeks final heat by Demon Blue (Art Major) when resuming with his first run in nearly a month.

Cyclone Jordy has shown himself to be a natural juvenile with a lot of the tools necessary to be successful at the elite level early in his career. His greatest asset being his gate speed was surprisingly subdued in tonight’s Group One feature, with his regular pilot David Butcher showing why he is still one of the best in the business electing to let the early fireworks of Mike Ross and Lincoln Lou play out before pressing on to the top with a circuit left to run.

Entering the home straight, the pair looked to have the field shot until the unbeaten Purdon/Phelan trained filly, Yourtheonethatiwant (Captaintreacherous) unwound stylishly from last to make things interesting, however the son of Art Major and Butcher held too many guns and completed an signed off on impressive first campaign in style.

“That’s what we are here for, we always like that Group One, it’s just great fun,” said Butcher as headed back to the stables having won his 36th NZ Group One as a driver.

“There are some nice juveniles alright, and a good effort from the filly too she gave me a bit of a scare halfway down and she was a little bit away from me and my fella was knocking off a bit, but we got there in the end.

“He got the good draw which was a big advantage, but Tait has got him bang on for the day, good old Tait, third training win and he gets himself a Group One, it’s outstanding and for Frank as well,” he said.

Cyclone Jordy looked to be beaten on his merits in his last start by tonights second favourite, Demon Blue, but Hopkins indicated the slight freshen up and enduring run had his charge peaking nicely for tonight’s feature.

“Last week he needed that run, he really sharpened up this week but he was nice and relaxed in his work. All the boxes were ticked and it was just a nice and relaxed week which I am stoked about.

“He’s very versatile, he’s the ultimate professional and makes my job easy,” he said.

With the likes of former New Zealand cricket international, Kyle Mills in the connections as a co/breeder and owner of the 50th winner of the Cardigan Bay Stakes, a big crowd was on hand with the former Black Cap having brought a convoy of around 20 newcomers to the sport for last weeks run.

The ensemble for tonight’s Group One didn’t look any smaller!

“Most of the owners are here, my family, it’s a pretty big crowd here for tonight so it’s good,” said Hopkins.

Cyclone Jordy was a $70,000 yearling sales purchase from Karaka last year and has a fair bit of blood in his pedigree which would have given confidence that he would go early.

His Mach Three dam Cyclone Kate was the winner of 21 races which included multiple stakes events at G2 and G3 level. Her full brother, Cyclone Prince was also a winner of the G1 Young Guns Final back in 2013, and with just her third foal and first colt in Cyclone Jordy she has furthered the family legacy which is now littered with black print across the page.

CYCLONE JORDY REPLAY

The winning time for the 1700m mobile was 2:05.4 with a mile rate of 1:58.7 with the last half run in 57.3 and a final quarter of 27.7.

Cyclone Jordy heads to the paddock as the winner of three from five starts with a tidy $81,738 in the back pocket, easily eclipsing his purchase price in the first half of the season with the promise of plenty more in store.

For complete Alexandra Park results, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink