Gem ‘proud and privileged’ at Rising Sun berth

Harness racing’s new headline event The Rising Sun was nowhere on the radar for NSW trainer Gemma Hewitt when she headed north in April for a winter campaign in the Sunshine State.

Hewitt was keen to campaign her emerging three-year-old Kashed Up (For a Reason – Laughing Lilly (Mach Three) in the Queensland Constellations Carnival, but never did she imagine the trip would culminate in an invitation to the inaugural $250,000 Rising Sun feature for three- and four-year-olds.

“I brought up my team of five boys, but Kashed Up was the one I was really keen to get up here, and he just keeps rolling on and surprising me,” Hewitt, of Georges Plains, near Bathurst, said.

“The Rising Sun was not in consideration though, not at all. The main aim was to bring him up here for the derbies. I keep thinking ‘you’re not going to be good enough this time’, and each time he keeps stepping it up.”

Kashed Up received the final wildcard into the Albion Park feature, coming off a win at Albion Park, and third in the Redcliffe Derby behind the only other three-year-old in the Rising Sun field, NZ sensation Krug.

Star four-year-olds in the field include Expensive Ego, Copy That, Bundoran, Crunch Time and Spirit of St Louis, who are all in scintillating form.

Kashed Up finished his two-year-old campaign in November last year with a victory in the $30,000 NSW Breeders Challenge Colts and Geldings Final and is one of only a small number of horses bred by Hewitt herself.

“I had two broodmares until the drought hit, then I had to sell one, but I still have Laughing Lilly. I bought her with a foal at foot (now five-year-old Kash Us Back, 9 wins $116,000) then bred Kashed Up,” Hewitt said.

“They’ve both done a great job for me, but this is definitely the highlight. I’ve never been in such a massive race before.

“It was a great surprise and such a privilege to get an invitation because so many people across Australia would have loved to have received it.

“There was a little bit of talk around, but I didn’t really think he was up to that calibre of horse. He does run impressively, though, and he does catch people’s eye.

“I had to think about it because I’ve run him three weeks in a row. It probably means I will miss the southeast Derby next week and just go onto the Queensland Derby the following week.”

Hewitt said the Rising Sun would be a massive step up for Kashed Up.

“For three-year-olds, the Rising Sun is the boys taking on the men,” she said.

“I didn’t want him to get beat up, but having to draw one or two under the conditions of the race was definitely a factor. Barrier one would have been ideal against these sort of horses, because he doesn’t have brilliant gate speed, but we have barrier two, and he will just be doing his best.

“There’s no denying it’s going to be very hard, but he will take a lot out of racing against these horses. I’ll be happy if he is competitive and does everything right, but if everything does go right, I’m not saying he can’t run into fourth or fifth.”

Hewitt is stabled at the property of Jack and Tara Butler and Kashed Up will be driven by Brendan Barnes.

“Brendan’s been doing a great job on him, and he’s also helping with track work as well. I had planned for dad (Bernie Hewitt) to drive the horse in the derbies once he got up here with his team, but I’m leaving Brendan on for this week!

“There’s a lot of hype around the race, and I’m just so pleased to be part of it. It’s a credit to Albion Park, Racing Queensland and the sponsors AQWA Constructions for the concept and for making it happen.”

By Terry Gange for Harnesslink