Hewitt flying ‘under the radar’

Sharing ownerships with some high-profile Canberra Raiders rugby league stars means ace Goulburn harness racing horseman Brad Hewitt can seldom fly ‘under the radar’ when he comes to town.

Hewitt is back at Tabcorp Park Menangle this afternoon (Jan. 31), hoping patience will pay dividends with two of his stable stars.

Majestic Trio (Majestic Son), who boasts the Raiders long-serving centre-three-quarter Jarrod Croker in her ownership, resumes from a lengthy break in Race 2 where the lightly-raced mare has been kept safe in the betting as a $3.50 second favourite.

Hewitt will be hoping the classy square-gaiter can recapture the form that saw her win four Menangle races in 2022.

“She’s been out for a fair while, the best part of 10 months, and she seems to have come up well,” Hewitt told National Trotguide online’s Mike Ko’cass.

“I’ll probably have to go back [from the gate] with her and let her run home and hopefully she can go on and find the form she showed before the spell.

“We’ll keep her going around there and hopefully she can pick up some money.”

Hewitt is more buoyant about his prospects with Escape Artist (Tintin In America), listed as the $1.90 favourite in early markets for Race 6.

Escape Artist resumed with a handy third behind Wavethebill and Mr Ibiza when resuming at Menangle last week, beaten 7.3m in a 1:53 mile rate.

“I was happy enough with him last week,” said Hewitt.

“Well, maybe a touch disappointed overall because he had trialled OK and had been working well at home.

“He should strip a lot fitter for the run and I’m hoping last week’s effort didn’t take too much out of him.

“He does seem to have come through it well enough.

“I should be able to drive him confidently and if he can find the fence should take some beating today.”

Hewitt said most of his team had been freshened and had about a month off but were now back and focussing on the racing ahead.

“Most of them are back at the trials now and in two to three weeks a lot of them will be back into the swing of things,” he said.

Another team worth following is the Lucky Lodge partnership of KerryAnn and Rob Morris, who will eye a winning treble at Menangle today.

Rob will partner BJ Lindenny (Race 2), Parallel (Race 3) and Wavethebill (Race 8), with all three early favourites for their respective events.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Michael Court, for HRNSW