Milestone win for ‘Mickey B’

When Michael Bellman took the reins for his first race drive as a fresh-faced 16-year-old, he thought he’d be lucky if he could drive 100 harness racing winners.

He took only until his fourth drive to taste success, and 25 years later, the easygoing Victorian freelancer has far exceeded his own expectations.

“Mickey B” chalked up win number 1600 last Friday at Mildura, and these days regularly notching up 100 in a season – for seven of the past nine season he’s done just that, and where he’s fallen short of the magical tonne, it’s been by only a narrow margin.  This season, he’s so far sitting on 66 wins.

Bellman was born into the sport (his parents Neville and D’Arne are well-known in the industry) and his love of the harness racing and its people is obvious, in his upbeat approach.

“I never had any expectations, and I love every win I get.  Every win’s a bonus, whether it’s for a big stable or a little battler, you enjoy them all.”

It’s a philosophy that’s standing Bellman in good stead.

“I’ve always been happy to take the drives I’m lucky enough to be offered, and I really think it’s been one of the main reasons I’ve been able to stay in the system for so long,” Bellman said.

“What you lose on the swing, you pick up on the roundabout. Besides you never know who’s going to be lucky enough to find a good one,” he said.

It was fitting that the milestone win for Bellman came at Mildura on Friday, a track where, as a young driver, he developed his craft and was a key to getting himself established.

“Because of the distance, back in the day there was a group of us who would car pool to the Mildura meetings.  I don’t do them as often these days, but Shaun (Shepparton trainer Shaun Kittel) put a couple in up there, and it was great to get the win for him on The Last Chance.”

Owned by Swan Hill businessman Greg Fleming and friend Ross Holland, The Last Chance (Mr Feelgood – Tender Reign (The Contender) has been a handy addition to the Kittel stable.

Since taking on the six-year-old in June last year, the Mildura win was Kittel’s fifth in 23 starts with the horse, three with Bellman in the sulky – the $12,000 stakemoney on offer in the Mildura feature race undoubtedly a welcome bonus.

Bellman said he was aware of the impending milestone only after racecaller Luke Humphries did the maths at the Shepparton meeting earlier in the week.

“I got a double at Shepparton (again for the Shaun Kittel – Greg Fleming combination, with Daylight at Dawn and Mauries Bonus) and Luke mentioned that I was then only one off the 1600 – and it came up at Mildura,” Bellman said.

“I don’t take too much notice of milestones and things, but I guess now that I am this close, it would be nice to get to 2000.  But in saying that, getting those extra wins will take a while!

“I got a few texts from mates after the race and I did say to a couple of them: Imagine what I could have done if I was any good!”

Hoofnote: It’s been a big month for milestones. At Albion Park on Tuesday, all four McMullen siblings (Pete, Narissa, Dannielle (Veivers) and Taleah) scored wins.  For Danielle, it marked a big week, recording her 400^th driving win with Leftmeatthebar at Redcliffe on Thursday.

Another young gun Queensland reinsman Brendan Barnes scored win number 500 with Gottahaveahobbie at Redcliffe earlier in the month.

Tasmanian trainer Ben Yole recorded his 1000^th career win as a trainer with Captain Cosmonaut at Devonport on Sunday.

By Terry Gange for Harnesslink