Les chases Cleveland Bay win for gun jockey dad

Les chases Cleveland Bay win for gun jockey dad
Wulguru trainer Les Gordy was just a little tacker when his dashing
jockey dad, Paul, raced away to win his second Cleveland Bay Hcp on
Major Tranche in the late 1980s.
One of the best northern jockeys of his time, Gordy senior won just
about every feature race at Cluden Park and elsewhere in the north, and
some multiple times,
But his win and the excitement that followed after Major Tranche’s
victory has been an inspiration for Gordy junior, with mum Bev by his
side, to win the race in his own right.
And he has a great hope of etching his name on the Cleveland Bay
honour board with the highly talented sprinter Demon Award in
Saturday’s edition of the big sprint.
“Dad won it on the great Gay James in the 1970s and then Major
Tranche. I was just 5 when he won. I had a cry yesterday. I said to mum
I just want to win it for dad,” Gordy said.
“He’s going through some health issues at the moment. I said to mum I
just want to win it.
“She said ‘you won a Rocky Newmarket’. I said yeh but this is the
Cleveland Bay.
“It’s a race I grew up with watching my dad win and I just want to win it
for him.
“I get very emotional about it.
“Growing up sitting on the tie-ups as a kid watching dad ride. I just want
to win it.
“He’s done that and I’d love to win it as a trainer so we’ve done it
together.”
“I’d be able to show my dad I won you a Cleveland Bay. That would be
amazing. That would be my Group 1.”
Demon Award is going into the feature sprint in career best form.

At his past two starts he has claimed the prestigious Fitzroy and
Rockhampton Newmarket at Callaghan Park, but has paid the penalty
with the huge impost of 60kg on Saturday.
Gordy knows the weight will be a test, but is happy with his draw (9) and
returning to his home track where he has won four times, including the
2024 Cape Cleveland.
“The horse is outstanding at the moment. He’s out of this world. He
kicked me in the hip yesterday and nearly broke me,” he said.
“It’s up to him now and I think he can win it even with the weight.
“He’s as good as I can get him for the race, he’s ready to go and we’ll
see what we can do.
“His jockey Brendan Larena is riding very well at the moment and rode
him perfectly to win in Rocky.”
Demon Award, raced by a big group of owners, showed he was on a
path to northern riches from his very first start for Gordy.
Fresh off a float from Victoria, he won his maiden in a romp at Cluden
Park on Cup Day three years ago.
But after a few more wins he lost his way with headstrong antics, a
problem Gordy remedied by sending him south.
“I thought the best thing for this horse was to send him to Brisbane and
toughen him up,” he said.
“It was the best thing I did. He went to Darryl Hansen and he did a
fantastic job with him.
“I got a horse back. He’s been sensational this prep and Darryl worked
wonders with him.
“After this he’ll be going back to Darryl to have a crack at the Weetwood
in Toowoomba.”
This year’s Cleveland Bay Hcp line-up is headed by last year’s winner
Speed Legend, who will become one of the oldest winners of the race if
he can go back-to-back as a 10-year-old.