Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Hall of Fame trainer Gary Hall Snr still enjoys working hard at his Serpentine stable and he celebrated his 77th birthday two days before landing a record sixth victory in the $35,000 Howard Porter Memorial at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
His outstanding New Zealand-bred seven-year-old Youre So Fine was an $11.60 chance when he stormed home from last in the middle stages to snatch a half-neck victory over mare Penny Black, rating 1.56.8 over 2536m.
Gary Hall Jnr did not bustle Youre So Fine early from the wide barrier at No. 8 and he waited until after he followed Alta Tribute ($9.50) who began a three-wide move approaching the bell, with the $3.90 favourite Luvbite setting a solid pace and being kept honest by Penny Black in the breeze.
Hall switched Youre So Fine four wide with 300m to travel and the gelding sprinted home powerfully to hit the front in the final couple of strides, after final quarters of 28sec. and 28.7sec.
For both the Halls, this gave them their sixth win in the Porter Memorial. Youre So Fine won at two of his first five starts in WA before suffering serious leg damage, an injury which kept him out of action for 19 months.
Hall Snr nursed Youre So Fine back to full fitness and the gelding resumed racing in July 2023 when he won at his first seven appearances in his comeback.
Youre So Fine now has raced 44 times for 16 wins, ten placings and $296,902, and he will be set for the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup on December 11.
“I don’t think Youre So Fine will be a major player in the Cup, but he should be able to play a sniper’s role pretty well,” said Hall Jnr.
Trainer Michael Young will continue with his plans to run Luvbite for the Pacing Cup, with the gelding’s driver Emily Suvaljko saying: “They went fast time early when he had to work hard to get to the front (after 550m). He’d had a bit of a freshen up, and having his first start for three weeks took its toll.”