WITH all six of his Gold Tiara heat runners ranked as outsiders on Friday night at the Bathurst Gold Crown Paceway, Bernie Hewitt knew he'd need luck to qualify for the decider.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It was luck the Georges Plains trainer-driver found aboard $23 chance York Minster in the third heat of the two-year-fillies series.
Hot $1.30 favourite Christiano Rose galloped on the first turn of the 1,730 metres qualifier, dropped off the back and took no further part.
Hewitt found a spot three back on the pegs then with some 400m to go, came off the pegs with his Art Major x Ark Elaine filly.
She charged down the home straight, running down leader Tequila Tequila ($81, Mitch Turnbull) to take the win by 1.5m in a 2:01.5 mile rate.
Third, a further 2.7m back, was yet another outsider in Michael Muscat's Charloja ($41).
It was York Minster's first win in five starts.
"It's great just to get one through. It's always hard to get one into either [two-year-old] final, so I'm glad I got this one through," Hewitt said.
In winning the heat Hewitt booked his spot in Friday's $100,000 Group 1 decider, where his rivals will include an unbeaten runner trained by his brother David in Happy Cruising.
Though he'd love to win his maiden Gold Tiara trophy, if Bernie Hewitt can't he'd like to see his sibling claim the spoils.
"David's got a nice filly in there. There's a couple of nice fillies in there, so it would be nice if one of us could do it," he said.
The other heat winners were favourites in KerryAnn Turner's Eye Can Run ($2.20) and the Kerry McDowell trained Michelle Lee Mac ($2).
The barrier draw for the Gold Tiara Final will be conducted on Monday night.
