Niggling issue postpones star’s comeback

TOP pacer Chicago Bull’s highly-anticipated racing return has been postponed.

Due to make a second attempt at resurrecting his career at Gloucester Park tonight, Chicago Bull was scratched by trainer Gary Hall this morning.

Successful in Auckland in October 2018, Chicago Bull suffered an anaphylactic shock to treatment the following morning, which resulted in him fracturing his withers.

The withers are located above and behind the horse’s shoulders, near its shoulder blades, with the long thoracic vertebrae supporting its head and neck.

In Chicago Bull’s case he fractured six vertebrae.

Although the gelding made a triumphant return in May 2019 trainer Gary Hall noted the Chicago Bull’s gait wasn’t as smooth as he’d prefer.

As such Hall sent the son of Bettors Delight back to a paddock in hope Chicago Bull’s lingering problem would be fixed with time.

“His action just wasn’t quite right,” Hall explained. “We discovered his offside fetlock was a problem.

“I wasn’t prepared to take a risk with him so he was sent for a spell.”

Pleasing Hall with his progress Chicago Bull was once again tipped to make a winning return before his latest setback.

“He has a bit of filling, no heat, in the same leg so I scratched him just a precaution,” Hall said. “I have kept jogging him and been icing it and it has just about gone away.

“I took him out of the race as I just want to make sure.

“It’s already been a long haul and I’d rather err on the side of caution than push him and regret it later.”