Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
High-priced New Zealand import Cyclone Jordy will attract great interest when he makes his Australian debut in the $21,000 Vili’s Family Pace for two-year-olds at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This will be the Cyclone Jordy’s first appearance since he won the group 1 Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stakes over 1700m at Alexandra Park 20 weeks ago, and Hall of Fame trainer Gary Hall Snr (who has had the Art Major gelding under his care for eight weeks) is looking forward to a successful Australian debut to have him primed for the $150,000 Golden Slipper the following Friday night.
“He is fast, nuggetty and a quick beginner,” said Hall. “His work has been okay, and he will need the run, and he will go better in the Slipper after this run.”
Cyclone Jordy’s five New Zealand runs have all been over 1700m, but he is not expected to be troubled by the 2130m trip on Friday night and in the Golden Slipper.
He will begin from barrier four, and champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr is confident of success. Cyclone Jordy also started from the No. 4 barrier when he won the Young Guns event in which he was not bustled early before getting to the front after about 500m.
He set a solid pace and dashed over the final 400m sections in 29.6sec. and 27.7sec. before holding on to win by a neck at a 1.58.7 rate from the filly Yourtheonethatiwant, who charged home from last with a flying five-wide burst.
Cyclone Jordy is the third foal out of former star mare Cyclone Kate, who earned $360,349 from 21 wins and 18 placings from 60 starts. Cyclone Kate’s first foal Cyclone Charlotte has had 32 starts for ten wins, 16 placings and $178,744. Cyclone Charlotte raced twice in New Zealand for a win and a third placing before continuing her career in Western Australia.
Capel trainer Aiden De Campo has two runners in Friday night’s field of six, and he has chosen to drive Como El Viento, the polemarker and last-start Pinjarra winner over 2185m, ahead of Last Hard Copy, who will be driven by Trent Wheeler from barrier five.
Last Hard Copy has won at four of his past five starts, and De Campo said: “He loves racing and will be hitting the line hard.
“I’ll give Como El Viento his chance out in front and see if he can get the job done. We will be having a crack out in front.”
Cyclone Jordy is one of four pacers trained by Hall Snr who will be racing first-up on Friday night, the others being Skylou, Mister Smartee and Im The Black Flash.
“They are all underdone and will need the run at the start of their preparations before tackling feature events,” said Hall.