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NEWS
Top trainer backs Isuzu
Horse racing trainer Gary Hall says he’s on a winner with his Isuzu FRR 600Gary Hall is a name synonymous with the Australian harness racing industry. Among other things, Gary has earned himself a place in the West Australian Racing Hall of Fame, and founded the successful Gary Hall Pacing Stables.
The champion trainer bought his first Isuzu truck in 1983 and hasn’t looked back, so when he needed a new vehicle to transport his horses, Gary selected an Isuzu’s FRR 600 Premium AMT crew cab.
He may be one of the most successful harness-racing trainers in the country, and the proud patriarch of a growing family dynasty, but Gary’s future in the racing industry didn’t always look as bright.
In 1983 – just prior to training his breakthrough horse – Maru Adios – Gary was struggling to make ends meet, supporting a wife and four youngsters under five-years-old.
It took a tremendous work ethic to build up his training business, but in return Gary’s been rewarded with equally tremendous success.
“Today we’ve got 100 acres at Serpentine south of Perth, and I train horses on that property, seven days a week, all year round.”
In his career, Gary has trained over 2200 race winners, a feat made all the more impressive by the fact he hails from a non-racing background. While building from the ground up takes a lot of hard work, he’s had the reliability of an Isuzu truck throughout to help handle the heavy lifting.
“I bought my first Isuzu in 1983 and at the time, safety was a huge priority for us,” Gary said. “My trucks have to be as safe as possible and strong enough to cart 10 tonnes: five tonne of horses in a five tonne trailer.
“The FRR is particularly nice to drive, and the crew cab offers plenty of space to ferry my staff to race meets as well.”
These days, and with safety still critical, the Isuzu F Series is a natural choice for Gary, with driver and passenger airbags, Automatic Braking System (ABS) and Hill Start Aid.
The FRR is powered by Isuzu’s six-cylinder SITEC 235 engine, producing 176kW of power at 2400rpm and torque of 706 Nm at 1450rpm.
And inside the cabin, it has the creature comforts, including an ISRI 6860 air suspension driver seat, cruise control, electric windows and central locking with remote keyless entry.
Indeed, trucks have come a hell of a long way since ’83, and so too has Gary’s growing business.
“Starting from scratch didn’t really disadvantage me,” Gary reflects. “I think I taught myself most of the stuff I know through experience. I’ve developed my own methods and have been very successful.
“I pioneered the method of working horses in heavy sand with a strong aerobic focus, and a lot of people have started to imitate that now.
Despite being a veteran of the horse racing industry, it’s easy to identify the passion that continues to drive Gary every day.
“It’s quite strange really, I’ve always had an inherent love of horses,” Gary said. “The closer I got to them, the more I fell in love and that’s how my career has come about.”
He’s got a strong fondness for his Isuzu fleet too.
“Whenever I’ve bought Isuzu’s in the past I’ve always found them to be very good, so I’ve stuck with another proven method.”
“My current model’s very enjoyable to drive. It’s more than powerful enough; it’s perfect for the job.”
While the FRR 600’s Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of 11,000kg makes light work of carrying five horses, the Premium variant’s Automated Manual Transmission, with fully-automatic and clutch-less manual operation modes, allows even greater ease of operation with a sensitive load on board.
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Written byTrucksales Staff
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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