Ark Sea after winning her NSW Breeders Challenge Semi Final. Photo by Club Menangle
THE Hewitt family is recognised as harness racing royalty, left a legacy from their late patriarch Tom Hewitt, a modest grazier from Crookwell, who dabbled in the sport and tasted success.
His sons Mark, David, and Bernie have continued to follow in their father’s footsteps at the highest level, winning plenty of feature races.
But it is the next generation of the highly-regarded dynasty that is now grabbing the headlines with David’s sons Brad and twins Scott and Sam being regulars in the winners’ circle at Menangle.
Additionally, Bernie’s son Jason, who has not driven as regularly as his cousins, had one of his best nights in the gig at Menangle by qualifying three pacers for Saturday’s NSW Breeders Challenge finals including Our Goat, who took out a semi-final of the four-year-old division.
Sam Hewitt will be hoping to record his biggest win to date in the two-year-old fillies’ final after his youngster Ark Sea qualified in the fastest time in her semi-final a fortnight ago, rating a sizzling 1:50.7 and scoring by a widening 12.5m margin.
And with in-form Sydney reinsman, Will Rixon in the gig, Sam’s filly is likely to share favouritism alongside the other semi-final winner Sparkling Sea, which is trained by David and will be driven by brother Brad.
Sparkling Sea fared much better in the barrier draw and will start from gate three while Ark Sea is out on a limb, drawn wide to start from gate nine.
The runner up in Queensland’s feature juvenile race, The Protostar, beaten by just over two metres by the Emma Stewart-trained Loucasso, Ark Sea has been able to win her at remaining four race starts.
“I could not have my filly in any better shape,” said Sam.
"Obviously, Dad's filly is going to be hard to beat as she too has plenty of ability and has drawn perfectly.
“But my filly could not have done any more leading into the final and we are heading to Sydney with confidence, despite our sticky draw.
"Will [Rixon] handles our girl very well, he is a top reinsman and will no doubt give her the best run possible run from the deep gate."
Collectively, the extended Hewitt family could make Saturday night’s meeting their own with no less than 20 live winning chances.
