Chicago Bull on doorstep of a milestone

Master trainer Gary Hall Snr is poised to notch another remarkable milestone in a glittering career by winning the $50,000 James Brennan Memorial with harness racing superstar Chicago Bull at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

A victory by the brilliant New Zealand-bred five-year-old will boost his earnings to $1,028,069 and will give the 68-year-old Hall his fourth millionaire pacer, a feat not approached by any other trainer in WA pacing history.

Hall’s other equine millionaires have been The Falcon Strike (78 starts for 41 wins, 17 placings and stakes of $1,224,094), Im Themightyquinn (111 starts for 58 wins, 34 placings and $4,567,456) and Beaudiene Boaz (56 starts for 25 wins, 13 placings and $1,254,227).

“All’s well with Chicago Bull and everything is on track for the Inter Dominion championship later this year,” Hall said.

Chicago Bull’s reinsman Gary Hall Jnr said he was more than happy with the Bettor's Delight gelding’s favourable draw at No. 2 in the field of eight for the Brennan Memorial and said that the small plain-looking pacer had done well since his record-shattering performance in winning the Mount Eden Sprint at a sizzling rate of 1.51.6 over 1730m last Friday week.

“There’s still a long way to go to the Inters, but he’s where we want him at the moment,” he said. “It should be a good battle between him, Shandale, Soho Tribeca and Motu Premier on Friday night. We’ve got the draw which is the first part of the battle. And we’ve got that part won. The 2536m journey will make things interesting.

“Jumping to the front will be the intention. Soho Tribeca pulled a little bit in the Mount Eden Sprint when racing outside Ohoka Punter, and I guess if he comes up outside of me and starts grabbing the bit it could leave horses like Shandale and Motu Premier as knockout chances.”

While Hall Snr is content with Chicago Bull’s preparation for the TABtouch Inter Dominion championship, he is disconsolate at having to scratch the talented Beaudiene Boaz from the series.

Beaudiene Boaz, who finished third behind Smolda and Hectorjayjay in the final of the Inters last December, is likely to have run his final race. “He has done a nearside hind suspensory,” Hall said. “And he probably won’t race again. He’s been a great horse.”

Beaudiene Boaz, who was ranked at No. 10 for this year’s Inters, won five Group 1 events, the Golden Slipper in 2014, the WA Derby, the McInerney Ford Classic and Retravision Golden Nugget in 2015 and the 2016 Retravision Fremantle Cup. He also won four Group 2 events, the Western Gateway Pace and Bunbury Cup in 2015 and two Village Kid Sprints in 2016. He was successful in two Group 3 events, the Caduceus Club Classic in 2015 and Navy Cup in 2016.

Hall Snr, who prepared Im Themightyquinn for three Inters victories, said that dual WA Pacing Cup winner My Hard Copy would not contest the championship series this year.

He explained that his son Clint, who has prepared My Hard Copy for his past five starts, wanted to retire the eight-year-old. “Clinton wasn’t happy with him and owner Steve Chapman asked me to have a look at the horse to see if, maybe, I could give him one more prep,” Hall Snr said. “But he won’t be running in the Inters.”

Hall said that his Inters candidates would be Chicago Bull, Run Oneover and Ohoka Punter and, possibly, Lets Chase The Dream. He said that he was a shade disappointed at Ohoka Punter’s latest run, when he started from the back line and raced at the rear before being forced three and four wide in the final circuit, finishing eighth behind stablemate and pacemaker American Boy last Friday night.

 “You can’t go four wide in the last lap when they walk in front,” he said. “He’s still pretty big (in condition) and will be fitter by the start of the Inters.”

Hall has won the Brennan Memorial twice, with Alzona in 2011 and Waylade, an 8/1 chance driven by Clint Hall last year when Waylade raced three back on the pegs before running home doggedly to take the lead in the final 20m and beat stablemate and 3/1 on favourite Beaudiene Boaz, who set a fast pace.

Kim Prentice, trainer and driver of Soho Tribeca, said that the five-year-old was at the top of his game, explaining that his past two runs (very close seconds to Shandale and Chicago Bull) were first-class.

“From the outside barrier this week, we’ll just see what happens and put him in the race at the right time,” he said. “He’s going super and I’m hoping they’re saving the good draws for the Inters.”

Mike Reed, trainer of Shandale, said: “I think Chicago Bull will find the top on Friday night and I hope that there will be a good speed on. Everything is on song with the horse. He’s an old warrior and knows what it’s all about. I reckon he’s still a long way off his top.”

Champion reinsman Chris Lewis has been successful in the Brennan Memorial a record eight times with Lord Maselle (1981), Black Irish (1983), Village Kid (1986, 1987 and 1990), Ohoka Ace (2005), Has The Answers (2010) and Dasher VC (2012) and he will drive the wonderfully consistent Motu Premier from barrier six.

Motu Premier, trained by Ross Olivieri, simply does not know how to perform poorly, with his past 17 starts producing 12 wins, four seconds and one fourth. He had a tough run in the breeze when a fighting second to American Boy last Friday night.

“It’s a tough race for him, but I expect him to run a good race,” Lewis said. “The way the race is structured it looks as though Chicago Bull will be the one to beat but Motu Premier is a tough little fella.”

Ken Casellas