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Thread: Gary Hall Snr

  1. #1
    Super Moderator Stallion Messenger will become famous soon enough Messenger's Avatar
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    Gary Hall Snr

    http://www.harnesslink.com/Australia...harness-racing.

    Having given my age away in another thread you will now know that I fit into the grumpy old man age bracket (that is a warning as to what is about to follow)

    Being pretty much exclusively a Vic follower and one who has come and gone a few times, I did not know the linked story but instead of being inspired by it - I am just thinking suss

    Maybe some WA followers can set me right so that I can see it all rosey

    My first problem is that he leased a horse, Maru Adios, that had not run a place for 3yrs and won 11 races and placed 22 times in that season

    Things had improved but he was still struggling and thus driving Zakara but Zakara was never going to be put in work except that he had to find something for a couple of employees to do (struggling but had 2 employees he did not have enough work for!)

    Then Zakara at his first hit out was expected to be tailed off but instead beats a Gp.1 winning stablemate.

    http://www.harnesslink.com/Australia...harness-racing.

    Like I said - call me grumpy and correct my misperceptions but I would much rather see a story about how Adam Sofoulis's horses come to wear Pink Monkey racing colours, as a promotion for our sport than this.

    Fire away
    per un PUGNO di DOLLARI

  2. #2
    aussiebreno
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    Grumpy Kev! Nothing wrong with the article. Would you rather that or nothing? If they interview Adam Sofoulis make sure to request they don't ask him about yayas early NZ form if you don't like reading about reversals of fortune.

  3. #3
    Member Gelding Sofoulis will become famous soon enough
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    Thanks for the mention in your post Kevin.

    I was actually pretty impressed by the article. I have a solid respect for Gary Hall and his team. He once agreed to take on one of my horses after it failed pretty miserably with the first trainer I gave it to. He had no reason to take on my horse (it had poor form, was relatively highly assessed, wasn't young, had plenty of starts) but he understood my situation and helped turn the horse around (not 11 wins though) and he was always honest with me (as opposed to some other trainers in Victoria who decided to take me to the cleaners) on how far he thought the horse could go. I haven't had another horse with him subsequently (as my horses are probably not at the level required to be in his stable) but the only other occasion I reached out to him was to see if I could buy a set of IMQ racing colours signed by him/Jnr for a fundraiser and without blinking an eye a set of colours was in the post, signed and he didn't ask for a cent.

    Maybe the story is embellished, and the Hall camp definitely have their knockers here in WA, but I would much prefer to read this type of article than either negative-press or no-press!

    (Btw: One-Tel had 1,400 employees... the next day they were in administration...)

  4. #4
    Super Moderator Stallion Messenger will become famous soon enough Messenger's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by aussiebreno View Post
    Grumpy Kev! Nothing wrong with the article. Would you rather that or nothing? If they interview Adam Sofoulis make sure to request they don't ask him about yayas early NZ form if you don't like reading about reversals of fortune.
    I am definitely being grumpy Brendan but you are forcing me to reply on Adam's behalf - he is clearly too much of a gentleman to ask why would you compare a horse who had had 2 lifetime starts with a horse who according to the story had been racing for 3 years. Please Brendan do not be ridiculous
    per un PUGNO di DOLLARI

  5. #5
    Senior Member Colt Chariots will become famous soon enough
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    Kevin your opening paragraph pretty well sums up your overall comments.

    Why would a positive article about how a leading trainer went through some tough times before achieving consistent success at the highest level raise such a negative response.

    Are you implying that his success with Maru Adios had more to it than a change of stables and training methods?

    The reality to Hall's success and dominance in WA is the quality of the horses that his owners purchase. It is possible that the average purchase price of horses that he trains is around the $100k mark.

    Give most reasonable trainers access to this quality of stock and they would almost certainly improve their training records.

    Can't for the life of me see why some people want to turn a positive story, and they are lacking in our industry, into a negative one.

    The harness racing industry is the perfect vehicle to harbour the tall poppy syndrome.

  6. #6
    aussiebreno
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    Quote Originally Posted by Messenger View Post
    I am definitely being grumpy Brendan but you are forcing me to reply on Adam's behalf - he is clearly too much of a gentleman to ask why would you compare a horse who had had 2 lifetime starts with a horse who according to the story had been racing for 3 years. Please Brendan do not be ridiculous
    Gliding Rose, Hawthornden, Chance whoever take your pick. They were all struggling to win races with their old trainers and have improved under their new trainer. The comparison is pretty obvious I would have thought.
    You labelled Hall Snr improvement suss. I didn't label anything suss. I really don't know why they have improved. All I see are clear parallels between horses going slow for old trainer who get a new trainer and win plenty of races. Tell me I'm wrong? Tell me those horses didn't go from also rans to winners.
    It's odd to spread hate on one trainer who turned around a horses win column yet seek advertisement for an owner who is in the same boat.
    Nothing wrong with Hall or Sofoulis at all - I say let them both have an article. I was just pointing out a similarity that you seem to think is suss and not worth writing about.

  7. #7
    Super Moderator Stallion Messenger will become famous soon enough Messenger's Avatar
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    I knew I was being contrary Ray but I did not feel in the mood for bullshit.
    I asked for WA posters to set me straight and possibly you have except can anyone confirm some of the info in the story
    Researching a little myself, I now find HRA listing Maru Adios as having only ever won 12 and placed 11 in his career so was the 11 wins and 22 places in one season bull?
    Can anyone confirm that the day Zakara beat the Gp1 ers they expected him to be tailed off

    I dont believe I made any comment about the Hall's success, I know next to nothing about the Halls as I have never followed WA. I am an ITMQ East coast fan. It was not meant to be a tall poppy attack - just a comment about the verity of the article.

    You are right that we should not be turning positives into negatives and as I am not feeling particularly positive at present I will commit to posting only positive posts until I am sure I am being fair and reasonable.
    per un PUGNO di DOLLARI

  8. #8
    Super Moderator Stallion Messenger will become famous soon enough Messenger's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by aussiebreno View Post
    Gliding Rose, Hawthornden, Chance whoever take your pick. They were all struggling to win races with their old trainers and have improved under their new trainer. The comparison is pretty obvious I would have thought.
    You labelled Hall Snr improvement suss. I didn't label anything suss. I really don't know why they have improved. All I see are clear parallels between horses going slow for old trainer who get a new trainer and win plenty of races. Tell me I'm wrong? Tell me those horses didn't go from also rans to winners.
    It's odd to spread hate on one trainer who turned around a horses win column yet seek advertisement for an owner who is in the same boat.
    Nothing wrong with Hall or Sofoulis at all - I say let them both have an article. I was just pointing out a similarity that you seem to think is suss and not worth writing about.
    Look Brendan I want to stop but if you cannot see the difference between a horse having had two 2yo starts and hitting its straps and a horse having had 3 seasons of racing then hitting its straps with a now 'supposed' 33 collects in a season, then we have very different definitions of 'clear parallels'. I only took exception with the story as being a bit too much of a yarn and only mentioned the Sofoulis story as a feelgood story - no mention of Adam's horses just his colours. The horses comparison is all yours Brendan and I replied to your comparison to one particular horse as being ridiculous so you have another shot by throwing in a few others. I was being contrary - if you think I was aiming to spread hate you should have alerted the mods and it should have been deleted. Whatever it was possibly misjudged criticism of an article on a slow news day. Fini
    per un PUGNO di DOLLARI

  9. #9
    Senior Member 4YO Smoken will become famous soon enough Smoken's Avatar
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    I can't see no hatred, merely opinions, no big deal at all. We all have different perceptions of what 'positive' or 'negative' is, and in which context it's applied. Nice day today, might go for a walk later

  10. #10
    Super Moderator Stallion Messenger will become famous soon enough Messenger's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Smoken View Post
    I can't see no hatred, merely opinions, no big deal at all. We all have different perceptions of what 'positive' or 'negative' is, and in which context it's applied. Nice day today, might go for a walk later
    That is exactly what I need Smoken, we have had too nice a weather in The Gap for me to have been laid up - maybe tomorrow.
    per un PUGNO di DOLLARI

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