A bullish return

By Adam Hamilton

THE well-worn sporting adage says never write-off a champion and that’s just what Chicago Bull proved at Gloucester Park yesterday.

First-up from another long spell, carrying plenty of “pudding” and settling last in the field of six, Chicago Bull still found a way to overcome it all to 44th career win and his first for 10 months.

He even surprised his trainer, Gary Hall Sr, who feared the small field would become a tactical affair and noted front-runner Talktomeurmattjesty would be super hard to rundown.

The race was largely run as expected, but Chicago Bull was able to come from last, without cover around the field for the last 1300m, and still prove too good.

He blazed a 1min54sec mile rate for 2130m and defied a startling betting drift ($1.40 to $2.10).

“How could I ask for anything more. Knowing he much he needed the run, to do that was outstanding,” Hall Sr said.

“It’s not easy to come around them without cover in that sort of time.

“His condition was entitled to give out, but he still had a kick on the home bend and then kept finding to hold-off El Jacko.”

Hall Sr quickly switched back into “nursing mode,” noting it was just as important how the horse many have called “Mini Quinny” comes through the run.

“I’m just as eager to see how he is over the next 24 hours,” he said.

A breakdown of the sectional times show how hard Chicago Bull had to go so far from home. They went a slick 34.8sec lead time for 2130m, then splits of the last mile in 29.2, 29.1, 28.1 and 29.7sec.

The other key winner at the meeting was star three-year-old filly Double Expresso, who easily beat the boys.

Ross Olivieri’s daughter of Sweet Lou has won five of seven this season, 12 of 16 overall, and now heads back to tackle her own sex in the Group 1 WA Oaks.