Harness racing’s champion pacer Chicago Bull (Bettor’s Delight) has officially run his last race.
Trainer Gary Hall Snr made the decision to retire the nine-year-old following a frustrating winter campaign.
Hall Snr said a poor piece of trackwork, combined with a winless preparation, made the decision to retire the veteran a straightforward one.
“He didn’t work well in his last bit of work,” Hall Snr told The Trots WA.
“I put him inside the middle of our track with Quinny (Im Themightyquinn) and he was running around at 100 miles an hour.
“There isn’t much wrong with him, but he just worked terribly.
“He kept running second in races, like the night he led Magnificent Storm, and he should be winning those races.
“I don’t want him to be remembered for that.”
Chicago Bull retires with an imposing record of 62 wins and 36 placings from 113 starts, including two Fremantle Cups and a WA Pacing Cup.
The son of Bettors Delight was also placed in the 2017 Inter Dominion at Gloucester Park.
Hall Snr said Chicago Bull deserved to be compared to his other champions Zakara, The Falcon Strike and Im Themightyquinn.
“I never thought I’d get another horse like Zakara, then I got The Falcon Strike,” he said.
“When The Falcon Strike just got beaten in the Inter Dominion, I never thought I’d get another chance to win that race.
“Along came Quinny after that and he won three Inter Dominions.
“Once Quinny finished I thought that’s it.
“Then along came Bully.
“Bully didn’t have the ability of those other horses but he had the will to win.”
CHICAGO BULL 2020 FREMANTLE CUP REPLAY
Chicago Bull’s Feature Win Profile
- 2x Fremantle Cups
- WA Pacing Cup
- Western Gateway
- WA Derby
- McInerny Ford Classic
- 3x Navy Cups
- 2x Mount Eden Sprints
- 2x J.P. Stratton Cups
by Tim Walker, for RWWA