Hewitt faces a good problem to have

It has been a busy couple of months for Bathurst harness racing trainer Bernie Hewitt and his team.

Known for his ability to get juvenile horses up and running, Hewitt won the very first qualifying heat of this year’s Breeders Challenge with Shoulda Passed (For A Reason) back in September and has consistently competed in the series right through to finals where he went agonisingly close to taking out the four-year-old division for entires and geldings aboard Kashed Up (For A Reason) that is trained by his daughter Gemma.

By Hewitt’s standards it was a quiet Breeders Challenge night for his team, but the master horseman will now turn his attention to preparing his youngsters for both next week’s Breeders Crown carnival in Victoria and the NSW Breeders Challenge Blue finals at Tabcorp Park Menangle on November 12.

“It is a bit of a juggling act,” says Hewitt.

“We will have horses heading in all directions, and I guess as a trainer that is a good problem to have.

“It is a really exciting time for all involved with our stable as apart from the juvenile races we have horses being aimed at the Carnival of Cups features that are coming up around the state.”

One horse that Hewitt has high hopes for in feature races is Rippin Rupert (Tintin In America) who will contest the Garrards Horse and Hounds Two-Year-Old Colts and Geldings Pace (race seven) at Bathurst on Wednesday (Nov. 2).

Rippin Rupert showed that he possessed untold ability from when he first stepped out on the racetrack, but niggling injuries have interrupted his preparation.

Last time out he blew all chance after 200 metres in the semi-final of the Breeders Challenge when he was contesting the lead and went off stride, dropping back to last.

But Hewitt is quietly confident that the break was just a simple mistake and that his gelding can bounce back.

“I have always had a lot of time for this horse,” he said.

“He was shaping up so well and we had big plans for him. Then a minor fracture in his leg halted his progress that broke our hearts. Thankfully though he has overcome that setback.

“Forget about last start. He just got wound up in a hot speed battle and I do expect him to bounce back.

“All things being well, he will then head for the Breeders Blue at Menangle in a fortnight.”

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by Michael Dumesny, for HRNSW