Region rejoices as Allawart Bob breaks through at Stawell

Murtoa owner-trainer Laurie Young and Horsham driver Aaron Dunn combined to bring up the maiden victory of Allawart Bob in the Trackside Bar & Bistro Trotters Handicap at Stawell on Sunday afternoon.

The six-year-old gelding had posted top-four placings in his previous six outings and was finally rewarded for his consistency with an easy 6.7-metre success at his 10th start.

Allawart Bob trotted away safely when the tapes were released, in stark contrast to the odds-on fav  Tzu Nien (Greg Sugars), who refused to participate in the contest. 

Dunn was content to tail the leader Champ Devine (Jason Ainsworth) until the 600-metre mark when he allowed his charge to stride clear and go on and score untouched from Gin (Tina Ridis) in a rate of 2.08.2 for the 2180-metre journey.

Young purchased the unraced Allawart Bob from the late Geoff Foreman about 18 months ago.

"He's come a fair way since we qualified in about 2.18 at the trials back in January," said Young. "It's great to win a race after putting in all that work with him and Aaron was pretty pleased too, as it's his first winner with a trotter."

Young trained his horse "mainly around the back roads of Murtoa" and enjoyed success about 10 years ago with the trotter Laen Sam. 

"I used to work him up and my brother-in-law Les McLeod would take over when he was nearly ready to race," said Young. "Sam won eight races for us and ran about 20 minor placings. I don't know if this bloke will get up to that but time will tell."

The Young, McLeod and Dunn families are well known and popular throughout the Wimmera and North Central districts, and there was plenty of support at Laidlaw Park on Sunday to cheer "Bob" across the line. "Yeah, well I kept well out of their way," said Young, who much prefers the background.

Young races Allawart Bob in partnership with his brother Gary of Banyena. They were both way better than average players for their local football teams - Laurie with the Rupanyup and Minyip clubs and Gary with Donald FC. 

The brothers also passed on their football ability, with Laurie's son Clinton enjoying a successful AFL career with Hawthorn and Collingwood and Gary's son Ross playing a short time with Carlton before winning a Sandover Medal with Perth in the WAFL.

"We'll run next at Swan Hill on Friday night and after that I might give him a spell with the harvest period coming up," explained Young who works for GrainCorp at their Murtoa receival site.

Allawart Bob was sired by Geoff and Mabel Foreman's former smart trotter Allawart Ray, who won 19 races including three at Moonee Valley in the prime of his career. 

During that golden period  "Ray" time trialled over a mile in 2:01.1 and also set a track record of 2.04.9 with a bold front running display over 2700 metres in the 1997 Horsham Trotters Cup, strolling home by 25 metres in a time that stood for nearly 20 years.

Allawart Ray also finished third behind Pride Of Petite and National Interest in a heat of the 1998 Australasian Trotting Championship and contested the Inter Dominion series at Harold Park that same season.

Picture by Claire Weston Photography.