Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Brilliant three-year-old Cyclone Jordy is the nominal favourite for the $200,000 WA Derby on October 31, but master trainer Gary Hall Snr has no hesitation in declaring the magnificent New Zealand-bred gelding is not a certainty in the prestigious Group 1 feature event.
Champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr had another armchair drive when he guided Cyclone Jordy to an effortless victory in the $50,000 Retravision Caduceus Club Classic over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He looks like a perfect candidate for the Derby,” said Hall. “He is a great horse to drive. He has everything: great gate speed, he comes back to you as soon as he crosses (to the front), and he races the horses when they come to him. The closer they get, the harder he goes.
“Derbies over 2536m are never easy races to win.”
Cyclone Jordy, the $1.10 favourite on Friday night, began speedily from out wide at barrier seven and burst to the front after 250m before setting the pace and sprinting over the final 400m sections in 27.7sec. and 27.5sec. to win by 4m from his stablemate Scooter B ($8.50), who trailed him all the way after leading early from the No. 4 barrier.
Cyclone Jordy rated a smart 1.55.3 to notch his tenth win in a row, and his ninth win from nine starts in WA. He has already amassed $278,675 in prizemoney from twelve wins and one second placing from 14 starts.
“At this stage Cyclone Jordy and Scooter B are my best two for the Derby,” said Hall Snr. “I have another three-year-old who is just as good as both of them. He is Chase Me, and I think he is really good. He has a few steering problems, but he showed his class with wins at his final two appearances in New Zealand.”
At his final New Zealand outing Chase Me rated 1.55.5 when he beat Lincoln Lou by two lengths in the $100,000 Golden Gait over 1609m at Alexandra Park on December 20.
He began from barrier seven and settled down in fifth place before going forward with a three-wide run to take the lead 650m from home and win comfortably after covering the final 800m in 56.5sec.
One week earlier Chase Me won by a half neck from the fast-finishing Yourtheonethatiwant over 1700m at Alexandra Park. He began from the back line and raced in seventh position early before racing three wide for much of the final circuit to get to the front 100m from the post.
Chase Me, who has earned $73,195 from three wins, two seconds and one third placing from six starts, arrived in WA in mid-January this year and is expected to make his Australian debut within the next three to four weeks.
He is by Downbytheseaside and is the fifth foal out of Delicata, whose first foal Chase Auckland shone in a brief career of 35 starts for 14 wins, nine placings and stakes of $809,156.
Chase Auckland’s victories included the Group 1 Sires Stakes for three-year-old-old colts and geldings at Addington in November 2017, a $224,250 feature at Alexandra Park the following month, the Group 1 Northern Derby at Alexandra Park in March 2018 and a Group 1 $176,000 Free-For-All at Alexandra Park in November 2019.
Cyclone Jordy’s win on Friday night gave Hall Snr his ninth success in the Caduceus Club Classic, and it was Hall junior’s eighth win in the classic.