FIRST real away trip, first race start, first win.
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That mix is enough to make any trainer-driver smile, but last week at the Bathurst Paceway it happened twice for Mark Hewitt.
What made it even better for the Grenfell reinsman is that his two winners were the juveniles who will carry his hopes at this year’s Bathurst Gold Crown Carnival.
Prior to last Wednesday night’s meeting, Hewitt’s two-year-old pair Chloes Venture and Poppy Cee had only trialled and the furthest they had ventured from their stables was 50 kilometres to Young.
While they had shown promise, neither were favoured to find success in their maiden runs, but that is exactly what happened. It gives Hewitt hope of winning his first major trophy at the annual Bathurst carnival.
Hewitt admitted saluting with $18.70 chance Poppy Cee, who will line up for the two-year-old colts and geldings Gold Crown heats on Friday night, was not the biggest of surprises but added he had not expected such a bold showing from Chloes Venture.
The Life Sign x Our Dream filly is one of 77 Gold Tiara contenders and her next run at the Bathurst Paceway will almost certainly see her start much shorter than the $27.80 being offered last week.
“They had both been going real good all the time, but I would have preferred the little gelded bloke,” Hewitt answered when quizzed on which one of his two-year-olds he had considered the better prospect.
“This is by far the best this filly has gone tonight.
“It was a particularly big surprise for me tonight just how much gate speed she showed, I haven’t asked her to work that hard before.”
While Chloes Venture did have the benefit of drawing barrier one for the Lady Nights Marquee 29 March Two Year Old Fillies Pace (1730 metres) she did, as Hewitt indicated, zip away once the green light was given.
Her start was in stark contrast to that of $2 favourite Ausswin, the Steve Turnbull filly galloping out. She never really recovered and finished eighth.
Once in front that is where Hewitt stayed, Chloes Venture leading the field through a 65 seconds first half as Sherry Shannon sat second in the trail and Trendy Belmer parked out in third.
As the bell sounded a number of drivers made their move, but Hewitt’s filly was a comfortable frontrunner and still had enough left for consecutive 30-second sectionals in her run home.
That effort was good enough to see her win by 8 3/4 metres over Jewel Of Cheval ($4.90) who worked three wide into second for Murray Sullivan. Third, a further 3m back, belonged to Abercrombie Alice ($18.80, Graham Betts).
“She is eligible for the tiara and I hope everything goes right,” Hewitt said.
The heats of the 2012 Gold Tiara series will be run on Thursday at the Bathurst Paceway.