Fides rewarding faith

Lucky Matty Craven is a patient man.

For the abundance of talent pacer Fides (Rock N Roll Heaven) has, he would have gotten to the bottom of most harness racing trainers.

But Craven, with the support of the passionate Lewis clan, who owns much of Fides, refused to give up.

Now the eight-year-old gelding is – touchwood – making up for lost time.

After more than three-and-a-half years sidelined with injuries across two different setbacks, Fides has been nursed back to the races and looked every bit the horse he promised to be.

But let’s go back to where it all derailed.

Fides looked like a star on the rise when he blitzed his rivals at Terang on April 7, 2020. Soon after he was found to have torn a muscle, which sparked a string of other issues.

He didn’t race again until winning brilliantly at Melton on November 18, 2022. He ran second at Geelong a couple of weeks later, but was then stuck down with a leg injury and “benched” again.

That could’ve broken many, but not Craven and the Lewis clan.

Together, they built Fides up again, and more than 12 months later, he returned with a dazzling win at Bendigo on January 6 this year.

Then emotions overflowed when the Western Districts-based Lewis and Craven had a crack at the Hamilton Cup on January 14.

All of Fides’ explosive speed was still on display, despite everything he’d been through. And it was the biggest win of his career.

Injuries have restricted Fides to just 30 starts for 12 wins and 8 placings.

He’s won nine of his past 12 starts, which spans four-and-a-half years.

“You do question yourself at times whether to try again, but he’s never had a career-threatening injury, just a few little things,” Craven said. 

“I’m very lucky to have owners who are patient and understand horses as well as they do.”

“That’s why Hamilton was so special. It was the Lewis’ hometown Cup and it meant a lot more than you think a Hamilton Cup would.”

The bar goes up when Fides stays in the Western Districts but aims even higher against a strong line-up in Saturday night’s $40,000 Terang Pacing Cup (2680m).

It’s a race the mighty Blacks A Fake – the only four-time Inter Dominion winner – won back in 2006.

Time and staying injury-free will tell if Fides ever wins at Group 1 level, but he will have to beat a couple of Group 1 winners to take the Terang Cup trophy.

Emma Stewart’s star pair Beyond Delight and Hurricane Harley may be past their absolute best, but they have won at the top level and banked over $300,000 and $700,000, respectively.

“It’s a harder race, much harder, and he’s got a tricky draw, too. It won’t be an easy task at all,” Craven said.

Despite Fide’s relative inexperience and wide front-row draw (gate six), he is a $3 favourite. Beyond Delight has been best backed to beat him ($6 into $3.50) from the back row (gate 10).

Craven also has a runner in Terang’s Trotters’ Cup on Saturday, the lightly raced Love Ya Brother, who boasts five wins from just nine starts but is a $51 outsider given the terrific depth in the field.

Beyond Delight’s stablemate Hesallmuscle and the untapped Keayang Ignite share favouritism at $2.70 from their 10m handicaps.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing Australia