Long-awaited win honours a mate’s memory

Victorian hobby trainer Daryl Prosser has returned to the harness racing winner’s circle for the first time in more than seven years – and his latest success carried a special significance.

Prosser prepared Ataboy Charlie (What The Hill) to take out the Vale Les Chapman Forever In Trotting Trotters Handicap at Maryborough (Sept 8), with prolific freelance driver Michael Bellman steering the five-year-old to victory from the 10m handicap.

For Prosser, based at Kewell in Victoria’s Wimmera, the breakthrough was memorable not just because it was the first winner trained from his new property, but also because it came during Prostate Cancer Month, in memory of his great friend Graham West.

“Graham was a very good mate, and we lost him to prostate cancer earlier in the year so I thought it would be some sort of legacy if we could win a race during this month,” Prosser said.

“It was pretty special because I couldn’t afford to make a donation like that to a charity.  So we won one – now I’d love to win a second one!”

Bellman’s victory added to the Harness Racing Victoria Prostate Cancer fundraiser –  HRV donates $200 for each winner driven in September by Bellman or James Herbertson.

Prosser’s involvement with horses began with West, whose father Jimmy trained horses with George Gleeson.

“I went to high school with Graham – my family didn’t have any background in the sport, but I’d go with Graham’s family to the Showgrounds trots nearly every Saturday night,” Prosser said.

“I can still remember the first time I sat in a jog cart behind a horse. It was just like Heaven, and I got bitten by the bug from that day,” he said.

Prosser’s previous winner as a trainer came in 2018 with Unique Power, who won at Stawell and Mt Gambier that season, although he enjoyed a pair of driving wins in 2023 for friend Bob Kuchenmeister.

Prosser and his partner Judy moved to Kewell six years ago, but setbacks meant it felt like a win might never come.

“Firstly, there was COVID, then the wettest winter on record – we had two feet of water through our paddocks and track,” he said.

“And of course, you’ve just got to have the right horse!”

That horse turned out to be Ataboy Charlie – a purchase 12 months ago encouraged by his daughter Nicole, who wanted “a photo on the wall”.

“Nicole lives at Tweed Heads, but she watches all the races and checks how he’s going – she’s over the moon. Judy is my strapper, and she loves Charlie too – we do it all together, and I wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t for her.”

Prosser said Ataboy Charlie performs best when kept on the fresh side.

“I think it’s starting to register how he goes best – keep him a little fresh and try to keep as much up your sleeve as you can. He’s only a little fellow and he tries hard.”

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink