Top-shelf pacer Cyclone Jordy returned from a 12-month racing absence in a blaze of glory at Pinjarra on Monday afternoon, recording his twelfth-straight triumph in the Group 3 $50,000 Alcoa 4yo Chandon Classic (2185m).

The son of Art Major was primed to start a nominal favourite in last year’s WA Derby but bowed a tendon in late September and was instead forced into an extended convalescence period.

Unsighted since making light work of the 2025 Battle Of Bunbury, Cyclone Jordy resumed at Pinjarra trials almost two weeks ago and oozed every bit of his former class in a decisive win.

But race conditions posed a new obstacle and gate six made his task no easier in Monday’s clash against the state’s best four-year-olds.

However, when Lazi Dais ($14) and Soho Shakedown ($5.50) tackled Belly Up ($13) for the early supremacy, reinsman Gary Hall Jr expertly guided Cyclone Jordy ($1.55f) into the one-out, one-back trail.

After a quick initial tempo, Lazi Dais, who had wrested the lead from Belly Up, got a breather with Soho Shakedown to his outside.

Meanwhile, Cyclone Jordy was enjoying the perfect run right behind them and was finally given his queue by Hall Jr to improve passing the 400m.

200m later, the bay cruised up to take the front and despite late efforts from Belly Up and Runkle Crunch ($7), Cyclone Jordy bolted to a 5.7m win.

The final 800m was run in a brisk 54.8 seconds, earning a 1:54.9-mile rate.

TABtouch tightened the Gary Hall Sr-trained gelding into $2.25 favouritism for November’s Group 1 Golden Nugget (2536m) at Gloucester Park ahead of impressive Queenslander Final Deadline ($4.40).

Before going amiss, Cyclone Jordy was touted for a New South Wales trip targeting the Chariots Of Fire, in which Final Deadline placed second behind megastar mare Captains Mistress.

Gary Hall Sr’s fairer-sex stablemates Fakenit ($6) and Delightful Peg ($8) are next in Nugget betting.

+ Former Sydney-based greyhound Great Chat landed good bets when successful in the Northam Anniversary Cup Final (509m) on Monday.

Purchased by trainer Lewis Clay in July, the light fawn dog took his record to four wins from seven WA starts when storming to an easy victory.

Backed from $6 down to $3.50, Great Chat charged past Foot Falcon ($3.30f) on the first turn and scampered away to salute by more than five lengths from the staying on Incredible Rogue ($6).

+ Saturday’s Heritage Stakes winner Blue Door has been confirmed for a start in the $20 million TAB Everest at Randwick on October 17 for slot holders Newgate Stud and GPI Racing.

She joins Ka Ying Rising (Hong Kong Jockey Club), Ninja (Fairway Thoroughbreds) and Headwall (Max Whitby, Col Madden, Steve McCann and Neil Werrett).

+ Two-time Group 1 victor Rothfire has been retired after finishing out the back in the Manikato Stakes last weekend.