Bob barrels it at Winton

He’s one of the last Sundons running around and it’s been some journey for the Robert Wilson trained Bob Barrelit (Sundon) who won his first race at the Wairio harness meeting today.

The five year old gelding spent most of his life at Nathan Williamson’s Branxholme property under the care of Williamson’s in-laws Ross and Robyn Jones who initially had shares in the horse. Ross named Bob Barrelit as he did another Williamson trained stablemate, Bill Bootit.

“He’s a horse that just needed time and he’d been at home for about a year. Nathan told me he always had ability so we’ve just worked him along quietly capitalising on that, and it’s all starting to come together,” Wilson said.

In today’s Tony Stevens Memorial Trot, Williamson settled Bob Barrelit into sixth in a strung out field. With 1250 metres to run he flushed out Hennessy and slotted into the one one. Williamson eased the trotter out to the centre of the track turning in, and Bob Barrelit mastered the leader Action Packed halfway down the straight, going on to win by a length and three quarters with Action Packed holding on for second.

Wilson shares in the ownership of the trotter with his breeder Kevin Schuck and has raced a few horses out of Schuck’s breed over the years, including Bob Barrelit’s half-sister Spotlight The Valley.

“We won eleven with her so it wasn’t a hard decision to take him.”

Bob Barrelit qualified at Winton mid-February and ran third on debut before breaking at his next start at Ascot Park.

“Once he got to the races he got a bit hyped up so we’re just trying to keep his feet on the ground and get him doing things correctly.”

Since his start at Ascot Park Wilson has given the gelding four workouts and a trial.

“Everything came together beautifully today. Nathan told me the win won’t be his last.”

Wilson now plans to give the trotter one more start in the Gold Chip Final at the Riverton meeting next Saturday.

“He’s done a big job. He’s been up since the spring, qualified, been to the races and made a few mistakes. He’ll have one more (start) then we’ll look hard (at whether) we do any more. He’s been patient and we’ve been patient and I think that’s the way to go with him.”

Also, on today’s card Otatara breeder Murray Little bred and owns two winners – Wehavtime (Art Major) and Captainshavtime (Captain Crunch). Both are trained by Brett Gray.

Three year old Wehavetime was having his eleventh start while for two year old Captainshavtime it was start number two. Both were taken to the front with Wehavetime winning by two lengths and Captainshavtime by four and a quarter lengths.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink