A Passion For Aces continues remarkable Bathurst dominance at Young

While the Young Harness Racing Club’s feature attracts interest from across the state each year, Hewitt’s win made it four in a row for Bathurst.

Twelve months earlier, The Lagoon trainer Steve Turnbull claimed a cup trifecta as Im Blue Double Dee led home Ardle McArdle and Desirable Guy.

Amanda Turnbull had the winning drive in that race, just as she did in the 2011 cup with Avonnova, while Ashlee Siejka was victorious in 2012 with Our El Nino.

“I’m not sure if I have won one before, I haven’t looked it up, but over the years I’ve certainly had runners in it,” Hewitt said.

“I used to race at Young a lot when I was in Crookwell. But in any case, I’ve got one now so that is good.

“I do like to support Young. Young is one of those clubs that draws runners from everywhere – Riverina, Western Districts, from the Canberra area and Goulburn. There were even a few at this meeting from the Sydney area.”

The 2014 edition of the Young Cherry Festival Cup was run over 2,480 metres and offered a total purse of $12,000.

Hewitt was not the only Bathurst district trainer hoping to snare the bulk of that prize money, as Steve Turnbull, Josh Turnbull, Nathan Hurst and Siejka all had runners in the field.

A Passion For Aces, who was second up after a five-month break, was not really expected to feature after drawing barrier 11.

However, Hewitt believed his seven-year-old Aces N Sevens x Passionate Kisses gelding could be competitive and his confidence was given a boost when some of his rivals were scratched.

“He’d had just the one start before – he ran fourth in Bathurst – and it wasn’t a bad run. He’d had a couple of trials before that as well,” the Georges Plains trainer-driver said.

“I knew he was capable of running a big race, but it was still going to be tough from the wide draw. 

“He drew the 11 gate, but four scratchings cut the field down to seven and it made it a better draw. But it was still a hard race; there were some nice ones there.”

It was Rustys Reject who won the early speed battle after going from barrier three to take the lead, but Hewitt was content to sit back with A Passion For Aces.

Steve Turnbull then guided his $2.30 favourite El Fuego forward and pressured the leader, their battle forcing the field to bunch up.

As the bell sounded on a 65 seconds first half, just five lengths separated first from last as Hewitt kept his rivals in check.

Down the back straight, Hewitt steered A Passion For Aces forward in a three-wide move and, with 200m to go, he had the lead.

The advantage was a neck into the home straight, but A Passion For Aces managed to increase that as he went on to win by 1.2m over El Fuego as he got home in a 28.5 sectional for a 2:00.6 mile rate.

Taking third after a strong run out wide was the Todd McCarthy driven Jokers Tothe Right ($3.60).

It was the 17th win of A Passion For Aces’ career and Hewitt is now contemplating an inter-state stint with the well-travelled gelding.

“I sent him down to Luke [McCarthy] for a while earlier this year to see if he could win a few at Menangle. He did okay, but he didn’t win any, then he went a bit off, so we brought him back home,” Hewitt said.

“I am thinking about sending him to Brisbane [with Grant Dixon] to take advantage of the system up there.

“I will just see how his form is. I might keep him here until the Boxing Day meeting, the Shirley Turnbull [Memorial] meeting, then I might send him up after that.”