Hall of Fame trainer Gary Hall Snr is confident a locally trained horse can finally score a win in this Friday’s TABtouch-Nullarbor (2536m), despite the presence of reigning two-time New Zealand Cup winner Swayzee.
Interstate visitors Betterzippit and Catch A Wave won the 2023 and 2024 editions of the Nullarbor respectively, with the latter back to defend his title this year.
Hall Snr has Mister Smartee engaged to run in the slot he owns alongside Stephen Waters, having been represented by Diego and Jumpingjackmac in the first two editions of the race.
The WA Pacing Cup runner-up is joined by a strong group of locally trained pacers, including WA Pacing Cup winner Minstrel.
Hall Snr said he had confidence Mister Smartee was good enough to match the best pacers in the country.
“I’d like to beat Swayzee,” Hall Snr told Racing WA Harness.
“I’d like to prove that our good horses are really good.
“They keep knocking our good horses over here.
“We don’t have as many good horses as they do over east, but when they go east they show they are as good as any in Australia.”
Mister Smartee has drawn barrier seven for Friday’s Group 1 event, with TABtouch favourite Minstrel drawn in barrier four.
Swayzee is the lone runner on the back line, while Catch A Wave will have to overcome barrier nine to make it back-to-back successes in the race.
Despite drawing less favourably than some key rivals, Hall Snr said he was still bullish on Mister Smartee’s prospects.
“The draw could’ve been a lot worse,” he said.
“I think he will be in the breeze early and then we will wait for Swayzee.
“I’d like to be sitting one-one with the pace on.
“Anything can happen in these types of races though.”
Hall Snr said he was also pleased to hear driver and son Gary Hall Jnr describe Mister Smartee’s work this morning as the best it’s been all preparation.
While Mister Smartee is Hall Snr’s chance of winning the Nullarbor this year, he could unveil a future contender for the lucrative slot race in year’s to come when Cyclone Jordy lines up earlier in the night in the Caduceus Club Classic Prelude (2130m).
The three-year-old is unbeaten in seven starts under Hall Snr’s care and said he expected that stretch to continue Friday.
“He worked with Mister Smartee today and Stewie (McDonald) said we might have the wrong horse in the Nullarbor,” he said.
“He’s got everything you want in a horse in that he’s fool proof and easy to drive.
“He hasn’t quite got the bottom of Mister Smartee.”
The TABtouch-Nullarbor is the final event on Friday’s Gloucester Park card and gets underway at 9.36pm.
Tim Walker
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