By Adam Hamilton
GOING into the Perth Inter Dominion series Gary Hall Sr thought he was a fringe player with Chicago Bull, but just days out from the final he’s buzzing with confidence.
And an ideal barrier draw has only fuelled his enthusiasm.
“I know he’s good, but I just wasn’t sure quite where we sould stack-up, especially against a horse as good as Lazarus,” Hall Sr said.
“Don’t get me wrong, Lazarus it the best horse here and clearly, but he’s meeting us on our terms and it looks like he have to do his share of work to win the final now Tiger Tara has drawn inside him.
“If he drew to lead, we’d all have been racing for second, but we’ve got a chance now. He’s obviously not as comfortable around our smaller tracks when he’s not on the pegs.”
Chicago Bull cruised through his heats with two all-the-way wins and a desperately unlucky third to Soho Tribeca when held-up until too late on the middle night at Bunbury.
And now he’s drawn ideally in gate 10 as the lone back row runner and to trail through behind Tiger Tara, who looks the leader from gate one.
Throw in the fact driver Gary Hall Jr is in a league of his own for experience and genius around Gloucester Park and it’s all come together well.
“A couple of months back he was going well, but not at his absolute top and it worried me as the Inter Doms got closer,” Hall Sr said.
“His work really picked-up that week or two before the first round of heats and Gaz (Gary Jr) and I both agreed we had him back to his best.
“It was great to see him win so well on the first night, it really boosted our confidence. Then we went actually left Bunbury even more confident, just in the way he was able to break 26sec for his last quarter and take so much ground of Soho Tribeca even though he’d dictated in front.
“Then last Friday he just jogged it in and he’s been fantastic at home since.”
So what about the draw?
“It’s really taken any decision we might have had to make out of it,” Hall Sr said. “Gaz just follows through behind Tiger Tara and stays there as long as Tiger holds them out early, which you’d think he would.
“Then it’s a case of hoping they go hard up front and looking for the gaps at the right time, which Gaz is better than anybody else around Gloucester Park.”
Does Gary Hall Jr share the confidence?
“I’m like Dad, I’ve become more and more confident we can win the whole thing as it’s gone along,” he said.
“I think we’ve got as good a chance as any, especially now the way the barriers have landed.
“This little horse’s turn of speed is amazing. It’s a real weapon he has over most others in the final.”
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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