Craven wins Ouyen Cup – with his second stringer!

Southwest Victorian harness racing trainer Matt Craven is heading home tonight (May 11) with the Gregg’s Electrical Ouyen Pacing Cup in his keeping – but certainly not courtesy of the horse that most expected!

The Craven-trained $12 chance, Crime Writer (Sportswriter) was too good in the $12,000 feature, scoring by four and a half metres for young concession driver Hannah Lewis.  It was a quinella result for the stable, with the odds-on race favorite Young Bluey, driven by Craven, finishing a hapless second.

Young Bluey looked the winner in the latter stages, courtesy of a pearler of a drive by Craven.

Drifting back to last from the unfavorable barrier 12, Craven set Young Bluey alight a lap and a half from home, and after taking off in the back straight, reached the lead straightening for to the bell.

Young Bluey looked set to cruise to victory but the five-year-old threw away the script on the home turn, galloping for a few strides and going awkwardly just before straightening for the run home.

CRIME WRITER REPLAY

But there wasn’t any hard feelings, though, with Craven giving Lewis a congratulatory fist-bump as they pulled up after the race.

It was the eighth win in the short career of 22-year-old Lewis, and her biggest victory to date, coming in her first drive in a Country Cups feature.

“Beating Mattie was a big thrill.  Mattie was really happy – but perhaps not quite as happy as if he’d won!” an elated Lewis joked.

Lewis, a pony club girl who fell in love with harness racing, has found her feet at the Mattie Craven – Amy Day stable near Terang.

“I guess you could say I got roped into doing harness horses and I haven’t looked back,” she said.

“I just love it.  Everyone is so supportive, everyone talks to everyone and they’re so welcoming. If you’ve got a question, you can ask anyone and if they don’t know the answer they’ll point you in the right direction.

“I can’t thank Mattie and Amy enough for giving me the opportunity to drive a horse of this calibre.  Not many people are willing to give you these sorts of opportunities and they only want the best for me.

“Also to the owners Pam and Tony (Coniglio) for trusting me to drive ‘Mitch’ especially in a race like this – I’ve had a couple of wins on him now but this is by far the best.”

Crime Writer, a nine-year-old, has now won 15 races (33 placings) from 124 starts and has topped a quarter of a million dollars in stakes.

“He just keeps kicking and gives 110 percent in every run.  He always does everything right and he’s just a pleasure of a horse to drive,” she said.

Lewis worked forward at the start from barrier five, before slotting Crime Writer into the one-out, one-back position, then biding her time to launch in the home straight when Craven was working to get Young Bluey back into his gait.

“I go to Mount Gambier a bit so this (769 metre) track is similar, but a bit tighter,” Lewis said.

“It feels surreal to get this win, but my mum and I had a little joke yesterday – that her favorite Mother’s Day present would be if I won this cup. So happy Mothers Day mum!”

For complete race results, click here.

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink