Rowley enjoying the view from the winner’s stall!

Victorian harness racing hobby trainer Neil Rowley admits he couldn’t even bring himself to watch his horses race until about a year ago – but his tough trotting mare Atego Dawn (Kvintet Avenger) is changing all of that.

The six-year-old brought up her eighth career win at Melton on May 23, driven by Rod Petroff, and she’s quickly become the pride of Rowley’s small stable.

“I’ve only ever had horses that have won one or two,” Rowley said.

“It took me 30 years to win my first race – and even then, I didn’t watch it. We just went for a walk!

“I used to get too nervous and too worried about the driver,” he laughed.

“It’s only in the last 12 months I’ve been able to watch her races at all!”

Atego Dawn is, without question, Rowley’s best horse in four decades of involvement. She was leased by Neil and his wife Joan from breeder Janine Pitt, after Petroff recommended her when the couple sold their last horse.

“Janine bred her and offered her to us, but they thought she wouldn’t really hit her straps until she was four or five,” Rowley said.

“She won a race as a two-year-old and made the VicBred final – then galloped in the final. She won a VicBred Platinum heat at Bendigo as a three-year-old, broke two minutes – and then galloped again in the final!” he said.

“As a four-year-old she grew and matured a bit more and last year she won five races for us and was Trotter of the Year at Bendigo.”

Rowley, who is based at Romsey, retired from a career in credit management just 12 months ago, and has always preferred training trotters.

“I don’t enjoy pacers much – they’re too much work, too much gear!” he said.

“But there’s nothing better than sitting behind your horse every day and having it just trot. It’s so relaxing. It’s a great stress release, and with Joan not in the best of health, it gives us both something else to focus on.”

He credits much of Atego Dawn’s success to the support of driver Rod Petroff and farrier Brad Forge.

“Out of her eight wins, Josh Duggan drove the first one, and Rod has been on for every other win. He’s just so calm and gets on with her so well. He was much more confident than me before her win at Melton – he knew exactly how the race would go,” Rowley said.

“I go up to Rod’s for fast work – he and his wife Jo have been terrific with advice and ideas.

“And Brad’s been fantastic. Before he started shoeing her, she was touching a knee and a back leg. Now, thanks to him, she doesn’t touch anywhere. I’m sure without their help, we wouldn’t have won nearly as many races.”

Rowley’s love of harness racing began with his father, Ernie, who dreamed of being a driver after returning from World War II.

“He couldn’t drive because of his war injuries – he had to wear a back brace – but he helped out trainers like Jack Barron and Bob Birthisel,” Rowley said.

“I’ve just always loved it. We’d go to the Showgrounds, or to Warragul trots, and when Joan and I got married we bought a broodmare and bred a few – none much good – and leased a few that weren’t much good either! But I’ve always enjoyed it.”

For years, Neil juggled work with early morning training sessions.

“Before I retired, I’d get up at four in the morning, take the horse to Lancefield to work, then come home, do what needed doing, have breakfast and catch the train into the city for work.”

Their first winner in 2008, Soul Storm (Village Jasper), left a lasting impression – and not just for its racing talent.

“He refused to go onto the Lancefield track,” Neil said.

“Chris Alford told me I could bring him up to his place to work, and that horse ended up winning two races for me. That was thanks to Chris’s help, really.”

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink