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Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators

Reigning Fremantle Cup champion Chicago Bull ended the longest losing sequence (eight) in his illustrious 101-start career when he did all the bullocking in the breeze before finishing with great determination to win the 2536m Ray Duffy Memorial Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Champion reinsman Gary Hall jnr said that the indefatigable nine-year-old would be even better when he lines up in the $300,000 Retravision Fremantle Cup next Friday night.

“I’ve been telling everyone that he is still going good, but no-one has really believed me,” he said. “The last 1200m (1min. 25.2) was pretty good in the breeze. Maybe it was good he had a run like that because he still came in big (in condition).

“But that’s it now; he won’t have to do much during the week. Tonight is the best he has pulled up. And last week when it was really hot, he was the best of our ten runners to pull up. I don’t think he could be any better for his age and health.”

Chicago Bull, the $1.80 favourite from the No. 6 barrier on Friday night, settled down in sixth place and then enjoyed an ideal run in the one-out, one-back position, with $8 chance Hampton Banner in the breeze after failing in a strong bid to outpace the polemarker Motu Premier ($6).

After 700m Hall sent Chicago Bull forward, three wide, to assume the breeze position.

“Chicago Bull then felt good and relaxed in the breeze, which was a plus,” said Hall. “It was not really my plan to go to the breeze that early. But Hampton Banner was coming back that quickly that I thought I might as well go forward. I then had Galactic Star on my back, and I was a bit worried about him.”

Motu Premier dashed over the third quarter of the final mile in 28sec. and he was still in front on the home turn. But Chicago Bull was carrying too many guns and he gained the upper hand 100m from the post before beating Motu Premier by a half-length. The final 400m was covered in 28.3sec. and Chicago Bull rated 1.56.6 over the 2536m journey.

When Chicago Bull won the 2536m Fremantle Cup in easy fashion from Galactic Star and Shockwave in November 2020, he rated 1.56.9 after covering the final 1200m in 1min. 28.3sec.

On Friday night Chicago Bull was having his fourth run after a spell, and his victory was his 57TH from 86 appearances at Gloucester Park. He now has raced 101 times for 62 wins and 27 placings for earnings of $2,348,046.