Trainer Gary Hall Snr is refusing to give up hope of his champion pacer Chicago Bull returning to his best form, despite an underwhelming return to racing over the past month.
Chicago Bull finished outside the top four for the first time in his career first-up this campaign, before a further two unplaced finishes in his subsequent four starts.
Friday night’s eighth placing behind Shockwave in the Winter Cup (2536m) was enough for Hall Snr to stop his campaign.
“He hasn’t had anything major wrong with him,” Hall Snr told TABradio.
“He’s had a couple of hard runs first-up so I’m going to bite the bullet and give him a month off and start again.
“I hope he can come back something like his best.”
Gary Hall Jnr put Chicago Bull in the breeze on Friday night but never looked like challenging Shockwave and looked a beaten force before the home turn.
Hall Snr said he would have no hesitation retiring the eight-year-old if he didn’t return to his best after his break.
“I love the horse,” he said.
“He’s done a phenomenal job and if he doesn’t win another race that’s fine.
“If he comes back and he shows that he’s not going to get back to something like his best form he will be immediately retired.
“Even though last campaign he won 17 and was placed seven times from 24 starts, I never felt he got back to that top level.”
Meanwhile, Hall Snr said he was confident Finvarra had the right attributes to measure up to the state’s best three-year-old’s, following his win in the Westbred Classic on Friday night.
The colt was poised to strike on the turn for home and was able to run down leading trio Overjoyed, Otis and Talks Up A Storm in the closing stages.
WA Derby winner Mighty Ronaldo and Pearl Classic winner Lavra Joe were notable absentees from Friday night’s $100,000 feature.
Hall Snr said he had a good hand heading towards next year’s Golden Nugget with Finvarra joining Jumpingjackmac as a possible contender for the event.
“He’s a very nice horse and I think he’s going places,” he said.
“I want to give him a couple more races because he hasn’t had much racing and I think he needs the experience.
“Then I want to give him a break and bring him up for the Golden Nugget and hope that he could measure up to the Jumpingjackmacs, Lavra Joes and Mighty Ronaldos.
“I think he can on the way he works at home.”
