Hopfgarten grabbed his third stakes race this year for trainer Rob Heathcote and Vinery sire Mossman in the LR Brisbane Hcp (1600m) on Saturday.
He cleared out in the straight for a decisive three length victory over Perfect Punch and Kurtley at Doomben. It followed his Group 3 victories in the Gunsynd Classic and Sunshine Coast Guineas earlier this year.
Spokesman Michael O’Leary deputised for the stable while Heathcote was in Hong Kong with Mossman’s champion sprinter Buffering. “He beat Rudy here last month and that gave us a lot of confidence,” O’Leary said. “He was last home last time but ran into a dead-end and should have run a place.”
Rudy franked the form winning the Gr.2 Villiers Hcp in Sydney an hour before the Brisbane Hcp.
Hopfgarten was bred and sold by Brian Purtle and his son Ben for $26,000 at the 2012 Magic Millions National yearling sale. His dam Black Tourmaline (O’Reilly) is a direct descendant of champion mare Leilani (Oncidium). She has a 2yo colt by former Vinery sire Excites.
The Purtles have a share in Mossman and bred his brilliant filly Our Sweet Moss who won five stakes races in Sydney and Brisbane topped by a Group 2 in the 2004 AJC Silver Shadow Stakes.
Hopfgarten will attempt to farewell the year with a fourth black-type victory in the LR Bernborough Handicap at Toowoomba on December 31. Buffering won his 10th stakes race for Heathcote and Mossman in the Gr.2 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley in September.
