By Adam Hamilton
Trainer Gary Hall Sr continues to marvel at pint-sized star Chicago Bull.
And he admits it is hard to say, but he rates the former Kiwi pacer better than his megastar four-year-old of last season Beaudiene Boaz at the same time.
“I always feel a bit strange saying how good this horse is because he’s absolutely tiny,” he said. “Everyone tried talked me out of buying him and I understood why when he arrived here. I thought they had sent the wrong horse.
“But he has just kept getting better and better. He’s so fast. He’s got it all.
“I know Gaz (Gary Hall Jr, driver) think he’s the best four-year-old we’ve had and I agree now.”
Hall rates Chicago Bull so highly he almost put him in against the free-for-allers at Gloucester Park last week.
“I was going to, but some of my biggest owners told me I was crazy and eventually talked me out of it. I know he would have held his own,” he said.
Chicago Bull won 10 races on end, including the WA Derby, before a shock defeat at Pinjarra on September 26.
Since then he’s scored two of the best and most exciting wins of his career, which boasts 15 wins from just 23 starts.
“I know Mark and Natalie are coming across with Mr Mojito for the big four-year-old races and he looked awesome at Ashburton on Monday, but he will have to be very, very good to match it with it our horse,”Hall Sr said.
Chicago Bull will be a commanding favourite to win again in the Preux Chevalier Classic (2130m) at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
It’s a big night to Hall Sr with Beaudiene Boaz looking to return to winning form in the sixth race.
“I loved his run last week. To sit parked and finish a length from Libertybelle Midfrew in those times was fantastic. I think most horses would’ve dropped right out,” he said.
“He’s back where we want him, drawn a little better (gate seven) and I think he’ll go really close.
“It’s so hard here with the preferential draws because barriers are everything in our open-class races.”
The other Inter Dominion “watch horse” at the Gloucester Park meeting is former Kiwi pacer Our Jimmy Johnstone, who returns from a spell in the opening event.
The Greg and Skye Bond-trained pacer finished last campaign in career-best form with three wins from his past four starts, the most recent on August 5.
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