Back in the winner’s circle after 20 years

After more than two decades away from the winning trainers’ list, Bendigo harness racing hobbyist Larry Walls has returned in the best possible way with promising three-year-old gelding Assigned (Rock N Roll Heaven).

After a close-up second on debut at his home track, Walls prepared Assigned to win at Kilmore on August 28, before a follow-up victory at Shepparton on September 16 – driven each time by James Herbertson.

Three starts for two wins and a runner-up is a solid comeback for a trainer whose last winner was in the 2003–04 season, although admittedly Walls has had fewer than 20 starters as a trainer since then.

“I spent 15 or 20 years in Melbourne, and I couldn’t train them then, but I always had an interest as an owner and breeder. Once we moved back here to Bendigo, I decided it was something I’d like to do again.”

Walls and his partner Penny Owen purchased Assigned at the 2023 Nutrien Sales and Walls is working him from a box at Bruce Morgan’s stable, directly opposite Lord’s Raceway.

“There’s a good group of us at Morgan’s who help each other, and it works really well, but one at a time is all I can handle,” he said.

“Once I decided to get back to training, rather than wait for the mares I breed with, we thought we’d go to the sales.  There was enough in this horse’s breeding to go and have a look at him and he looked good as well.

“I broke him in and I’ve been really happy with how he’s come along.

“He’s on a pretty tough mark now, though.  He’s a three-year-old having his fourth start, and if he was in at Shepparton tonight (September 23), he’d be potentially in the same race as a horse I own with Danny Thackeray in Scheming.  She’s won seven races and $60,000.  So we’ll have to pick our way through from here and I’ll probably give him a break soon.”

Walls has a long family connection to harness racing and horses.

His father, Jim, was a well-known farrier and trainer, while his grandfather, also Jim, broke in over 2000 walers for the Australian Light Horse.

“Dad started out in harness racing at Boort with Charlie Robertson back when there was night trotting at the Showgrounds. Charlie had New Derby, who contested the first Inter Dominion in Perth,” Walls said.

Over the years Walls has had some handy horses, including Strident, who won nine races in Victoria and went on to further success in Western Australia. (For trivia buffs, Strident also won the final race ever staged at Moonee Valley on February 6, 2010).

Other useful performers for Walls were Stop The Show and Anthony Dollar.

But for now, Assigned is the horse rekindling Walls’ enthusiasm for training.

“It’s been quite a long time since I’ve had a winner as a trainer, so it was good to get that one,” he said.

“This horse has done everything right so far. Hopefully there’s more to come.”

by Harnesslink Media