Bang! Bellman stitches up award real quick

Leading Victorian freelance reinsman Michael Bellman virtually had an unbeatable lead in the Horsham Harness Racing Club’s drivers award for the season—but jumped out of the blocks early at the final 2023 meeting to go further ahead.

Bellman drove a well-judged race on brown gelding A Vapar Storm (Tell All) for trainer Julian Jobe to take out the opening event the $6000 Cruisers Car Wash-Local Trainer Pace at the Dec 11 meeting.

“I pretty much had it in the bag because Herbie (James Herbertson) was my nearest rival and he would have had to get a treble to get near me – but he wasn’t at the meeting because he was representing Victoria in the junior series in Queensland,” Bellman said.

“I love racing at Horsham. It’s just down the road from where I’m based at Ararat. It takes about an hour and it’s a great track and there’s nice people down there. It’s certainly one of our better tracks that’s for sure,” he said.

The win was the fifth career victory for A Vapar Storm, owned by John Vagg and Keith Parry.  But it was the gelding’s first win for Jobe, who took over the training of the seven-year-old in May.

“I’m the second-string driver for Julian because he uses Jackie (Barker) most of the time. I was lucky to get on A Vapar Storm because Jackie was driving Miki Steamed Home for her grandfather Jim,” he said.

“He’s a nice horse and the stable does pretty well with their horses.”

Bellman, who has been driving for over 25 years after getting his licence as a 16-year-old, said he’d won seasonal awards at Horsham on a few occasions.

“It’s pretty hard to get a look-in with Jason Lee and Kez (Kerryn Manning) being regulars. I won a couple when I was a junior. My mum D’Arne also took out a few leading driver awards back when Horsham raced at the old track at the Showgrounds,” he said.

“This season has been one of my better ones. It’s about the eighth time I’ve managed to get over 100 winners. I’m up to 114 wins now—my best-ever was 140 in the 2015-16 season.”

HRA records show that Bellman has driven 1873 career wins, although seasonal statistics only go back to the 2011-12 season. He topped the ton in 2012-13 (118); 2013-14 (112); 2014-15 (118); 2015-16 (140); 2016-17 (105) and 2021 (136).

Bellman prepares a team of 10 at his Ararat stables.

“I’ve had Shannon O’Sullivan giving me a hand for a bit which has been a great asset. Shannon comes down three or four days a week which has been terrific because I’m on the road so much travelling to drive at meetings,” he said.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink