Gary Hall Jnr on Chicago Bull’s NZ Campaign

Posted on October 25, 2018October 25, 2018 | Posted by Tim Walker

Chicago Bull has his first start in a stand at Alexandra Park tomorrow night, as his preparation aimed at the New Zealand Cup on November 13 goes up another gear.

The six-year-old starts off 20m tomorrow night in the Garrard’s New Zealand Handicap Pace (2200m), where he faces six rivals.

TABtouch has installed Chicago Bull a $1.75 favourite for the 2200m event, ahead of Jack’s Legend at $2.65.

Gary Hall Jnr has travelled to New Zealand with Chicago Bull after his second placing in the Victoria Cup.

Here is how he has seen the build-up.

On the travel to New Zealand:
“He arrived last Thursday. He still looked a little bit tired from the trip and he didn’t look overly keen to be here. We left Shepparton on Wednesday night at 9.30, we then got to the airport two hours later and had to wait another two hours to get on the plane. All of that time he was on the truck or in the crate waiting to get on the plane.”

On the arrival into New Zealand:
“Once we landed, got off the plane through quarantine, off the truck and out to the property it was 8am. By the time he was in the paddock, it was near enough to 9am. It was a pretty long trip for him. It knocked him around a little bit.”

On his work over the past week:
“He slowly showed signs of improvement. It wasn’t until we worked him and gave him a bit to do that he really picked up and got back on to his food and stuck into the New Zealand grass. Once he did that, he bounced back pretty quickly. It was a little bit worrying at the start, but I travelled with Im Themightyquinn a few years back and he did the same thing.

“He jogged last Friday and we did a light jog on Saturday. We then put the hobbles on him on Sunday and he then jogged on Monday and Tuesday, before we put the hobbles on again on Wednesday. He hasn’t missed any work since he’s been here and he’s starting to look better and better.”

On tomorrow night’s race:
“He will go around a short price favourite, but it does look to be a pretty tough assignment. It’s his first stand run and he’s got the 20m handicap to overcome. It’s also his first time racing right handed. He’s going to have to take all of those things in his stride. There is a few hurdles there for him. I won’t be too disappointed if he happened to get rolled.

“Jack’s Legend and Let’s Elope look the logical dangers as they look to be the only ones that fit into Bully’s class. If something off the front line gets a good start and they want to roll along, it’s going to make it hard. A lot of people will look at this race and think ‘if you want to be favourite in a New Zealand Cup, then you want to be winning this race’. I don’t think it’s that cut and dry.”

The Garrard’s New Zealand Handicap Pace gets underway at 3.51pm Perth time tomorrow.