Champion pacer Chicago Bull could make his return to the races as early as this Friday night, after he was nominated for a 2536m Free-For-All at Gloucester Park this Friday night.
The gelding hasn’t been seen on the track since last June due a suspensory strain and issues with the sesamoid bone on his off side front leg.
It has been a patient build up for trainer Gary Hall Snr to get Chicago Bull back to the track and said while he was yet to decide if he’d run his stable star this week, a return was imminent.
“He’s nominated for this week, but we will make the decision later in the week,” he told RWWA Harness.
“He’s been working reasonably well, but I don’t expect him to ever get back to what he was before.
“He’s sound and he’s working okay, so hopefully he will be able to get back somewhere near his best.”
Should Chicago Bull show his best form this campaign Hall Snr said he would consider taking the seven-year-old to Sydney later this year for the Inter Dominion series.
Chicago Bull heads up a stellar list of nominations for the $25,000 event and could clash with the highly talented Shockwave, who scored a comfortable win in last Friday’s FFA.
Pinjarra Cup winner Vampiro is one of six nominations in the race for training partnership Greg and Skye Bond.
Galactic Star is also nominated for what could be his first start since returning back from a Sydney campaign.
Meanwhile, the three-year-olds will get one last chance to stake their claims for the WA Derby on April 3 in a 2130m event this week.
Howard Hughes, who faded to finish eighth after enduring a tough run in last week’s Western Gateway, is one of five runners nominated for the event for the Bond team.
Hall Snr has Copy N Pace nominated for the event, while fellow trainer Mike Reed has entered Caveman and Pocket The Cash.
The three-year-old fillies will also get their chance to press their feature race claims in another 2130m event this week.
Tim Walker