The strong David Hewitt stable will be a formidable force providing a total of six runners in this afternoon’s heats of the Tom Hewitt Memorial, which are scheduled as races seven and nine.
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Highlighting a great afternoon of trotting, the Hewitt Memorial heats have drawn together a number of good and promising pacers, which will ensure competitive and exciting racing.
With the first five finishing spots in each heat progressing to next week’s $10,000 final, Hewitt will be looking to the enigmatic Clem Daniel to score first blood in the $3000 Goulburn Mulwaree Council Tom Hewitt Memorial Heat One. Drawn in barrier two, Clem Daniel was a winner at Menangle in January when recording a 1:54.7 mile and has since been placed at his last three starts at the same track, on each occasion the race time being just over 1:54.
With an ideal barrier and strong recent form, Clem Daniel is very well placed to lead throughout over the 2240m journey.
Hardest to beat is the Dennis Day trained and driven Whatifwhynot, who should start at long odds. As the sole runner off the second row, the 5yo IfIhadyourluck gelding has endured his share of bad luck in recent starts and should return to the form that saw him score a good 1:56.7 win at this track during December.
The Central Tablelands pacer Beetson looks the best of the others and will be well suited by the conditions of today’s race.
Drawn in barrier three, the Peter Trevor-Jones trained runner has the speed to take up a handy position and will prove hard to hold out in the closing stages. The second heat, and last race of the day, is the $3000 Divalls Earthmoving and Bulk Haulage Pace.
The event has drawn together a classy lineup including the Dennis Picker trained Condagen, David Hewitt’s Eclipser and Dennis Day’s Iron Outlaw.
Best served at the barrier is Condagen who will come out of the six gate, and after missing a run in last Friday’s $50,000 Paleface Adios Pace at Menangle, where he was the second emergency, he will be cherry ripe for this event. Condagen has strong recent form including a couple of impressive wins at Menangle in recent weeks and is likely to start favourite.
Hardest to beat is Dennis Day’s Iron Outlaw who has drawn the outside barrier. A first up winner at Menangle in December, Iron Outlaw has raced much stronger opposition at Menangle in recent starts and will appreciate the drop in class. Eclipser has scored 4 wins this season and whilst he is outstanding when at his best, he must be taken on trust as he also has a tendency to gallop when under pressure.
The afternoon of racing will also feature heats of the Australasian Young Drivers Championship and in the first heat (race six), the $3000 Goulburn Produce and Rural Supplies pace over 1710m, New Zealand’s North Island representative Josh Dickie looks well placed to score first points behind Dennis Day’s Serene Highness.
At her last start Serene Highness scored a runaway win at Canberra when driven to an allthe- way win by Brad Hewitt in a similar graded race. Drawn in barrier four the four- year-old Famous Forever mare should find the front again and prove very hard to run down.
Hardest to beat include the stable mate Flyin Crusa who was a fast finishing third at her last start at Young and the Neil Day trained Abbysn Ace who has the benefit of barrier one.
In the second heat (race eight), the Paul Khalefeldt trained Lettucereason has the chance to break back into the winners circle following her first up win at Wagga in mid-January. To be driven by champion Western Australian reinsman Chris Voak, Lettucereason was one of the States leading juvenile fillies and as the winner of more than $150,000 will prove very hard to beat from barrier two.
Hardest to beat is the stablemate Miss Ponder and the Peter Trevor-Jones trained Crackerjack Jo who has drawn well in barrier one and is likely to find the position behind the likely leader Lettucereason.
Patrons attending the Goulburn Paceway this afternoon can expect the usual good quality food and cold drinks. A licenced bar and TAB are also in place in the temporary building during the construction of the grandstand.
Whilst some inconvenience can be expected, the racing action will more than make up for it, and all fans are invited to attend the Paceway this afternoon where entry is for free.
