Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Trainer Gary Hall senior’s decision to make several gear changes has enabled the smart five-year-old Diego to bounce back to form, following a dismal first-up failure.
Diego, the $1.20 favourite, was on his best behaviour when he scored a decisive victory in the 2130m The Running Camel Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
A fortnight earlier Diego broke into a gallop 150m after the start and dropped back to last before he dashed forward into the breeze with 1150m to travel, and then faded over the final 400m to finish a distant tenth behind Bettorstartdreaming.
Hall added blinkers, a nearside Murphy blind, a nearside pole and a fixed headcheck for Diego’s run on Friday night.
“He had all that gear on him before he went for a spell,” said Hall. “He had been working well at home without all that gear, so that’s why I removed it all for his first-up run, and that’s why he went badly.”
Diego started from barrier three on Friday night when Gary Hall jnr sent him to the front 380m after the start. He then relished his pacemaking role and sprinted over the final 800m in 56.2sec. as he went on to win by two and a half lengths from Rock Me Over. This improved his record to 13 wins and ten placings for stakes of $140,186 from 44 starts.