The 'Bull'... Photo by Scott Hamilton Media
Hall of Fame trainer Gary Hall Snr holds the whip hand in the $50,000 Navy Cup at Gloucester Park tomorrow night with five of the 12 runners. But he predicts stable star Chicago Bull faces a stern test from the outside barrier (No. 9) in the 2130m feature event.
“He will obviously improve on his first-up fourth two weeks ago,” he said. “But he will have the job ahead of him from the wide draw and it’s not going to be easy.
“I was disappointed with his fourth behind Jambiani in the Porter Memorial last Friday week; I wasn’t over enamoured with it. It wasn’t that strong a field.
“Before his first-up run, he did tie up a bit on the Monday. But the vet said he was right to go, and I don’t know whether that had anything to do with his performance. For him, it wasn’t a top performance, not for a horse who is second favourite for the Inter Dominion.
“However, he is still my best hope of winning on Friday night. He’s never been a terrific track worker; he’s a bit lazy.”
In summing up his five Navy Cup runners, Hall nominated Chicago Bull (to be driven by Gary Hall Jnr) on top, ahead of Beaudiene Boaz and Run Oneover. His other runners are American Boy and Norvic Nightowl.
Beaudiene Boaz was a 7/1 chance when he surged home from last at the 1050m to hit the front 680m from home and win the 2016 Navy Cup by two and a half lengths from the 9/4 on favourite Bettors Fire. He warmed up for this week’s assignment with a splendid second, a half-head behind Condrieu in the Spring Pace last Friday night when he ran on from fifth, three back on the pegs at the bell.
Kim Prentice is under suspension and this week Michael Grantham will drive Beaudiene Boaz, who will start from the inside of the back line and should enjoy a perfect trip behind the likely pacemaker My Hard Copy.
“Beaudiene Boaz improved out of sight with his run last week, a week after his first-up tenth behind Jambiani in the Porter Memorial when he was a bit big in condition and ran out of legs,” Hall Snr said.
Run Oneover, to be driven by Stuart McDonald from barrier six, maintained his excellent form when he set the pace and finished a half-head second to Jambiani last Friday week. That followed his all-the-way victory over Our Jimmy Johnstone and Ideal Alice a week earlier.
“If Run Oneover had drawn to lead he would’ve been a good thing,” said Hall. “American Boy (Lauren Jones) needs to be close handy to be any chance; he’s strong enough, but just lacks a bit of point-to-point speed. Norvic Nightowl (Aiden de Campo) is a very good horse. But he’s been out for a long time and will take a little while to hit his top.”
Hall Snr is seeking his fifth winner as a trainer in the Navy Cup, after successes with Abit Rich (1997), Real Life (2009), Hokonui Ben (2012) and Beaudiene Boaz (2016). He also prepared Navy Cup placegetters Facet Spiro (2007) and Talk To Me Courage (2010).
Hall’s elder son Clint is training and will drive dual WA Pacing Cup winner My Hard Copy, who looms as a major chance in Friday night’s Cup after drawing the prized No. 1 barrier. The eight-year-old stallion is a capable frontrunner who is sure to take plenty of catching.
My Hard Copy impressed last Friday night at his third outing after an absence of 13 months when he ran home boldly from eighth at the bell to be a close fourth behind Condrieu, Beaudiene Boaz and Ideal Alice
Henley Brook trainer Mike Reed has high hopes of continuing his dominance of the Navy Cup by winning with the up-and-coming star Shandale, who will be driven by Shannon Suvaljko from out wide at barrier eight.
Reed has won the Navy Cup a record six times --- with Sylvies Secret (1986), Manageable (1989), Time Symbol (1992), Golden Resonator (2001), Tricky Vic (2002) and La Valiente (2004). Shandale is in peak form, winning in fine style at his past two starts.
Oakford trainer Ross Olivieri, who has won the Navy Cup with Chipmont (1991), Mark Craig (1995) and Super Strike (1996), will be represented with giant-killer Jambiani, who has unwound devastating late sprints to win at odds of 95/1 and 45/1 at his past two appearances.
Jambiani will be driven by Morgan Woodley, who is sure to bide his time from the outside of the back line and rely on the seven-year-old’s flying finishing burst.
