Two goes into one in miraculous Charlton collision

27 February 2017 | Michael Howard
Logo
Glenn Douglas and Michael Bellman share a sulky at Charlton.

Glenn Douglas and Michael Bellman share a sulky at Charlton.

Mateship was to the fore at Charlton yesterday when Glenn Douglas and Michael Bellman crossed the line in the same sulky after a collision in the finishing straight.

Douglas’ drive Pocket The Deal galloped in the final 200m in the Cup Day Fanatics 3YO Classic, veering in on Michael Bellman’s Knight Sky Safari, who was hugging the pegs.

Bellman takes up the commentary.

“At the time, when I looked up, I saw it sort of gallop and it was holding its ground in a straight line and I thought I’m going to be all right,” he told RSN 927 this morning.

“Josh Duggan (driving Islandspecialmajor) got through underneath it, only just, and once he cleared Josh he just took two bounds to the left and I was coming through at a fairly quick rate of knots and just couldn’t miss him in the end.

“As he whipped across, I hit him with that much force I Shanghaied (Glen) into my cart.”

While Douglas leapfrogged into the sulky from the right, Bellman was almost spat out to the left, with only quick reactions and a bit of teamwork preventing either from hitting the canvas.

“I didn’t really even know at the time, because I had fallen to the left and was heading out of the cart,” Bellman said.

“I was lucky I got hung up underneath the undercarriage of the sulky and hung on with my legs.

“I pushed myself back up off the ground to get back in and as I looked back, here’s Glenn hanging on the other shaft.

“He looked like he was planking for a second, he was laying right back. I’ve just got myself back in, reached down and grabbed him by the hand and pulled him back up in.”

It was a great piece of drivers camaraderie, although that friendship only extends so far.

“I’m just dirty if he hits me up for half my driving fee,” Bellman said.

Most importantly, no drivers nor horses were harmed in the incident.

Click here to see vision of the thrilling finish.

 

 

Media enquiries:

Michael Howard (HRV Media/Communications Co-Ordinator)
t: 03 8378 0286 | e: 
mhoward@hrv.org.au | tw: @MichaelRHoward

 

Related News

28 March 2024
New HRV chair Adam Kilgour on challenges, opportunities
Newly appointed Harness Racing Victoria chair Adam Kilgour says his passion for a challenge and the people in racing drives his desire to strengthen the industry. Kilgour was yesterday announced to replace Dale Monteith as the head of the board, on which he has served since 2018, and said he was eager...
28 March 2024
La sun of a gun emerges as Blackbook zeros in on breeding line
La Machane won 20 of her 61 starts and more than $330,000 for connections in Ross and Greg Sugars' care and the mare's making just as big an impression in the breeding barn. Having given us La Puddie ($137,179) and La Captain ($182,020), the Bettors Delight mare has another nice type in Benbullan, who...
28 March 2024
Jack ready to show off the next generation of stars at Bathurst
Nathan Jack has his next generation of stars ready to lead a northern assault on Bathurst's two-year-old Group 1s Saturday night, eager to emulate the stable's 2023 success.
28 March 2024
Steve Cleave's Little Black Book $200 game plans for Melton
Steve Cleave has looked through his Little Black Book to produce a $200 game plan for Easter Saturday night at Melton Entertainment Park.
28 March 2024
Jase and Snooze join Ryan for Burning Questions
Chris Svanosio and Jason Lee join Ryan Phelan to look ahead to a fantastic night of Easter Saturday racing from Melton Entertainment Park.
Click for more