Weanling Sale Next Task For Hopkins After Group One Triumph

Tate Hopkins may have an extra spring in his step at the upcoming National Weanling Sale at Karaka on 23 May.

The emerging horseman will offer four well-bred youngsters at Karaka under his Hopkins Stables draft, after recently producing the biggest accomplishment of his training career in harness racing.

Hopkins trained NZB Standardbred graduate Cyclone Jordy (NZ) (Art Major) to win the Group One Breckon Farms Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stakes (1700m) at Alexandra Park earlier this month.

The win was made even more special as Cyclone Jordy won in the colours of Hopkins’ mentor Frank Cooney, with his wife Anne Cooney also in the ownership. 

“It was a huge thrill to get the Group One, and to do it for Anne and Frank made it really special,” Hopkins said.

“The other owners are great, they love the horse and they were rapt too. It was hugely satisfying.”

Cooney purchased Cyclone Jordy at the 2023 National Yearling Sale for $70,000 when he was offered among the Hollis & Robertson Equine Services draft.

Hopkins has a long association with the Cooney family, first coming to work for Frank as a thirteen-year-old.

The thirty-two-year-old trainer has had a couple of stints away from the Cooney stables, but after almost two decades with the Cooney's, the combination hit new heights with their Group One victory.

Along the way, Hopkins has assisted Cooney in the preparation of yearlings for the National Yearling Sale. Combined with a two-year-old stint at Woodlands Stud, Hopkins has an outstanding grounding in sales preparation.

That’s clearly an asset as the horseman prepares his inaugural weanling draft for the upcoming National Weanling Sale.

All four of Hopkins’ offerings have been bred by Australian breeder Adam Cahill.

“Adam breeds quite a few horses in New Zealand and we went through them and decided which ones we thought people would be attracted to at the weanling sale and which ones we would take through to the yearling sales,” Hopkins said.

“I think we have ended up with a draft of four nice horses.”

Hopkins has a clear favourite among his four offerings in Lot 102, a Rock N Roll Heaven (USA) colt from Crispr (NZ) (Art Major).

“I think, on type, he is as good as any of my draft.”

“He is a strong and muscly type for his age. I cannot fault him at all, I love him and I think he will develop into a really nice horse.”

Hopkins is also preparing Lot 2, an Art Major (USA) colt from Dale’s Delight (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight).

The filly is closely related to the Group One performing mare Illavabubbles (NZ) (Always B Miki).

“She is quite an athletic filly and she’s got a great temperament, she is no problem to do anything with,” Hopkins said.

Another of the progeny of Art Major is Lot 79, a colt from Tsunami (NZ) (Somebeachsomewhere).

“This colt is quite a nice horse and I think he has got everything there to develop into a nice type.”

Hopkins will also offer a son of the champion sire Bettor’s Delight (USA) in Lot 87.

The filly from Vinland (NZ) (American Ideal) is from the family of the stakes performer Triple Play (NZ) (Shadow Play).

“She is a really nice filly and good to do anything with. She is faultless, she isn’t really big, she is just a nice type.”

The 2024 National Weanling Sale will take place 23 May at the Karaka Sales Centre, commencing from 12pm (NZT). Weanlings will be available to view on the premises from Tuesday 21 May. NZB Agents have inspected each weanling and can assist with any enquiries.

All weanlings purchased at the 2024 National Weanling Sale at Karaka are eligible to be entered for NZB Standardbred’s lucrative Harness Million Sales Race Series. The Series consists of principal two-year-old and three-year-old races for colts and geldings, fillies, and trotters individually, where NZB Standardbred graduates can contest for their share in a one-million-dollar prize pool.

View the 108-lot catalogue online here.