Diego To Get Service Of Hall Jnr

26 January 2023 | Tim Walker
Logo

Star reinsman Gary Hall Jnr has been cleared to drive Diego in Friday night’s TABtouch-WA Pacing Cup (2936m) at Gloucester Park after he was successful in his appeal against a careless driving charge.

Hall Jnr was suspended twice in one race earlier this month and was set to miss driving in the $450,000 event but is now free to try and score his ninth win in the race.

Anthony Butt was on standby to drive Diego if Hall Jnr was unsuccessful.

Diego’s regular driver Maddison Brown is unable to drive in this week’s Group 1 due to concussion.

The gelding’s chances of winning the WA Pacing Cup received a significant boost at yesterday’s barrier draw, when he came up with barrier one.

Diego opened a $4 chance with TABtouch for the Pacing Cup but has shortened to a clear $2.90 favourite with news of Hall Jnr being able to drive.

The seven-year-old led all the way from barrier one in the J.P. Stratton Cup (2130m) earlier this month, before he was narrowly beaten by Mighty Ronaldo and Minstrel in the Fremantle Cup.

Trainer Gary Hall Snr, who has won the WA Pacing Cup on 12 occasions, said it would still be a big challenge for Diego to win from the good draw.

“It won’t be easy as it looks,” Hall Snr told The Trots WA.

“He will get a bit of pressure from Minstrel.

“The one thing in his favour is he should get an easier lead than he did in the Fremantle Cup and Minstrel will have to come out and that might make it harder for him.

“I think he’s better than what he was before the Fremantle Cup.”

Diego’s stablemate Jumpingjackmac, who Hall Jnr drove in the Fremantle Cup, has the services Stuart McDonald this week.

The five-year-old drew barrier three yesterday and Hall Snr said he expected another strong showing.

“He’s going to be hard to beat and is going well,” he said.”

“He’s definitely a chance with pressure on.

“I though his Fremantle Cup run was very good because he was off the track.”

Wildwest is Hall Snr’s other runner in the race and will start from barrier nine.

Tim Walker

Image – Hamilton Content Creators

 

Related News

25 March 2023
Guerin: Queensland on radar for Merlin after Derby triumph
Don’t be fooled by the small margin Merlin scaped home by in Friday night’s $135,000 Woodlands Derby. Because driver Zachary Butcher is adamant the quality colt could have won the classic by a lot more had he wanted. “That is just him, he doesn’t like running away from horses...
25 March 2023
Bonnington: Trotting giants set to rule at Vic harness headquarters
No other racing code, scratch that, no other sport is organically partitioned quite like harness racing. Well, southern hemisphere harness racing at the very least. Unlike Europe, where trotting – or squaregaiting – possesses exclusive dominion over what harness racing represents, Australia...
25 March 2023
Windy Hill Tara primed for another upset
Bathurst trained filly Windy Hill Tara caused one of the biggest upsets at her local track last week. The Group 1 winner beat the undefeated filly Major Delight in a heat of the Gold Bracelet. The pair will face each other in tonight’s $100,000 final at Bathurst tonight. Despite that result, Major...
25 March 2023
Bargain buy chasing Gold Crown glory
Victoria’s Emma Stewart will head to the Bathurst Gold Crown Carnival confident that she can capture more Group 1 glory. Known as one of Australia’s best trainers, Stewart has met with her fair share of success with her juveniles at past carnivals, but this year her presence is the strongest...
Click for more