20/06/2026
Not even landing just his fifth winner in a decade of amateur driving could top the thrill Kevin Hall experienced when watching Blazing Louie score a track record win at Cambridge on Friday night.
Hall, who piloted Says Who for boss Nicky Chilcott in the final race, knows first hand how much hard work has gone into getting Blazing Louie back into the winner’s circle after a string of problems.
Hall, who helps out at White Star in the mornings before his day job, likes the horse so much he put dibs on driving him in all his work a long time ago.
And what made the win more special was not only that he and his wife Linda now have a share in Blazing Louie but he got his work mates at G. J Gardner involved too.
“Having friends in Blaze makes it more enjoyable and, even though they weren’t there last night, watching him run a track record, and do it so comfortably, was amazing.”
While the 2200 metre standing start is not contested frequently these days, Blazing Louie still clocked a brilliant 2:40.92, shattering Cambo’s 2011 mark of 2:42.
With Chilcott sitting still in the sulky, Blazing Louie punctuated his all-the-way win with a two and a half length margin, scorching home in 56.1.
“The way he won he could have gone another round,” Hall said.
“I drove him in fast work just after Nicky offered me a share and his change-up speed is incredible. I don’t get the chance to sit behind horses as nice as him and it gives you such a good feeling.”
Chilcott, however, was getting only bad vibes while walking Blaze around at the start, sure the fog rolling in would aggravate his asthma.
But worse, “sookie-baba” Blaze got progressively more antsy during the five minute delay, “scared” by the rearing antics of Social Distancing who was eventually ordered off the track by the starter.
That destroyed Chilcott’s pre-race plan of walking around on the helmet of Social Distancing’s driver Crystal Hackett to keep her horse settled.
“Left in the open he’s terrible but I intended to pull him off her helmet just before the jump.
“After that horse was scratched I thought I’m in a world of pain. He got more and more pi**ed off and it was an absolute fluke that he got away.”
When a starter’s attendant pulled Blaze’s head and walked him into line, Chilcott fully expected Blaze to object.
“Normally when someone goes to lead him and says you have to do things my way he jacks up. He likes to go when he’s ready.
“If the starter hadn’t let them go at that very second it would have been a false start as I was touching the tape.”
Instead, Blaze stepped and accelerated straight to the lead.
“He can bludge in front, and pull up and wait for them, but there was no bludging tonight. And when I heard James Stormont start whistling at his one in the trail (Always Flyin) at the end of the back straight, I knew we’d be hard to beat.”
The win, Blaze’s sixth, came at only his 36th start in his fifth season on the track, and belied the opinion of vets that he was unlikely to make it back.
Despite acknowledging that the seven-year-old is now high-maintenance, Chilcott says moments like Friday night outweigh all the time and expense involved.
For Chilcott, however, winning with her galloping pacemaker Says Who just about rivalled the thrill, chuffed that Hall would next month fulfil his dream to contest the New Zealand amateur drivers’ championship.
Hall joins Frank Phelan, John Kriechbaumer, Andrew Sharpe and James Brownlee in the five-man northern team to take on the south at Cambridge on July 3 and Addington on July 5.
“It’s the only time I’ll ever get to drive at Addington,” said Hall who prevailed in a tight five-way neck, neck and neck finish.
Says Who had not been hoppled since his last race more than a month ago and had spent recent weeks jogging in front of the learners, rather than galloping, but put to bed Hall’s fears he would be underdone with a stout home stretch run.
“Half way down the straight I started thinking I might have gone too soon. I only came out before the turn because I thought I heard someone pop out, but there was nothing coming.
“He couldn’t go any quicker but he kept grinding away - trained to the minute by the boss,” Hall said, tongue firmly in cheek.
Photos: Ange Bridson/Race Images.
1. Blazing Louie and Nicky Chilcott are clear after a masterly front-running display.
2. Says Who prevails in a tight five-way finish.
3. Kevin Hall brings Says Who back.
