Murtoa owner-trainer Laurie Young and Horsham driver Aaron Dunn combined to bring up the maiden victory of Allawart Bob in the Trotters handicap at Stawell.
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The six-year-old gelding had posted top-four placings in his previous six outings and was finally rewarded for his consistency with an easy 6.7-metre success at his 10th career start.
Allawart Bob trotted away safely when the tapes were released, in contrast to the odds-on favourite Tzu Nien.
Dunn was content to tail the leader Champ Devine until the 600-metre mark when he allowed his charge to stride clear and go on to score untouched from Gin (Tina Ridis) in a rate of 2.08.2 for the 2180-metre journey.
Young purchased the unraced Allawart Bob from the late Geoff Foreman about 18 months ago.
"He's come a fair way since we qualified in about 2.18 at the trials back in January," said Young. "It's great to win a race after putting in all that work with him and Aaron was pretty pleased too, as it's his first win driving a trotter."
Young trains his horse "mainly around the back roads of Murtoa" and enjoyed some success about 10 years ago with the trotter Laen Sam.
"I used to work him up and my brother-in-law Les McLeod would take over when he was nearly ready to race," said Young.
"Sam won eight races for us and ran about 20 minor placings. I don't know if this bloke will get up to that but time will tell."
The Young, McLeod and Dunn families are well known and popular throughout the Wimmera and North Central districts, and there was plenty of support at Laidlaw Park on Sunday to cheer "Bob" across the line. Young races Allawart Bob in partnership with his brother Gary, of Banyena.
