Can Chicago Bull do it again?
The pint-sized champion pacer is chasing his second Gr.1 $450,000 TABtouch WA Pacing Cup at Gloucester Park this Friday night.
The Gary Hall Snr prepared gelding won the event back in 2017 as a four-year-old, and his list of feature race victories has only expanded over time.
Recently, he claimed his second Fremantle Cup while other big race triumphs include the Pat Cranley Memorial, Howard Porter Memorial, Mount Eden Sprint (x 2), J P Stratton Cup (x 2), Navy Cup (x 3), August Cup, 4 & 5yo Championship, Governors Cup, RWWA Cup, McInerney Ford Classic, WA Derby and Western Gateway.
It’s a mouthwatering ‘CV’ that still has room for more.
Boasting a record of 60 wins from 90 starts, the $2.2 million earner has missed a place twice under the care of Hall Snr and both times he finished fourth.
When purchased from New Zealand, his record was two wins and one placing from seven starts.
If successful, ‘Bully’ will join the likes of My Hard Copy, Im Themightyquinn, The Falcon Strike, Our Sir Vancelot, Westburn Grant, Village Kid, Pure Steel, Radiant Oro and Beau Don as multiple winners.
With a proud and rich history, the WA Pacing Cup was first staged back in 1913 when Letty Lind proved successful and the list of champions that have proven victorious since runs deep in the famed staying feature.
The father/son combination of Gary Hall Snr and Junior are the most successful in the event’s history with 11 and 8 victories, respectively.
Remarkably, Hall Snr trained the Pacing Cup winner every year between 2011 and 2017.
The master conditioner has triumphed with The Falcon Strike (x3), Tealsby Karita, Im Themightyquinn (x3), Hokonui Ben, My Hard Copy (x2) and Chicago Bull previously.
Chicago Bull will start from gate 7 in the 2936m mobile start event.
Team Bond are chasing back to back victories following their victory earlier this year with Mighty Conqueror and the husband and wife partnership of Greg and Skye have strong numbers again.
Representing their Forrestdale stables is Vampiro (gate 4), Ocean Ridge (gate 5), Galactic Star (gate 11) and of course, the defending champion Mighty Conqueror (gate 2).
Back in January, the stable provided six of the first seven placegetters including the trifecta result.
Star horseman Justin Prentice is chasing his second Pacing Cup following the deeds of Rocknroll Lincoln back in 2019.
Well-traveled pacer Jack Farthing represents his stable and will start from the coveted inside draw.
Champion reinsman Chris Lewis boasts five Pacing Cup victories and will take the drive behind Jack Farthing.
Astute mentor Ross Olivieri, a winner of the Cup in 1999 with Saab, is represented by last start winner Perfect Major.
Last week in the RWWA Cup, Perfect Major outdueled Chicago Bull to claim the Gr.2 feature.
With Chris Voak booked to drive, Perfect Major must overcome gate 8.
Trainer Ray Williams has a dual-pronged attack on the Pacing Cup with emerging talent To Fast To Serious and Convert Denario but both have drawn the second-line.
To Fast To Serious has drawn gate 10, the inside of the second-line while Convert Denario has gate 12, the outside of the second-line.
Rugged pacer Vultan Tin starts in the Cup for the third time for trainer Phil Costello and will start from gate 3.
Shannon Suvaljko, a winner of the 2008 Pacing Cup with Vanlo Yorker is booked to drive.
Earlier this year, Vultan Tin finished 10th behind Mighty Conqueror.
Former Olympian Michael ‘Mouse’ Brennan will send out Braeview Bondi with Michael Grantham booked to drive the last start winner.
The pair combined to finish third back in 2018 with The Bucket List behind Soho Tribeca and Chicago Bull.
Braeview Bondi will start from gate 6.
And trainer Stephen Reed has the beautifully bred Bletchley Park engaged with Lindsay Harper booked to drive.
Harper won the 2001 Pacing Cup with Havago.
Bletchley Park has drawn gate 9, the outside of the front-line.
Interestingly, both Brennan (Jason Rulz – 4th) and Reed (Lovers Delight – 5th) had starters in the 2016 Pacing Cup won by My Hard Copy.
The TABtouch WA Pacing Cup is scheduled as race 6 and listed to start at 7.40pm local time.
