Lewis hoping first Ouyen visit gets a memorable tick

Enthusiastic Hamilton trainer David Lewis is hoping he’ll tick another item off his harness racing bucket list on Sunday (Mar 24), with his first ever runner in the Greggs Electrical Ouyen Pacing Cup.

Lewis has experienced country cups campaigner Kowalski Analysis (Roll With Joe) in the $12,000 feature.

“My late father (also named David) raced horses around north-west Victoria and other regions years ago,” Lewis said.

“Our family was originally from Ultima, near Swan Hill, and I’ve got some of dad’s winning photographs hanging up at the stables.

“He had wins at tracks including Stawell, Charlton, Ouyen, the old Nyah circuit, Stawell and a few others. I want to emulate his achievements, and I’ve got three to go, including Ouyen.”

Lewis is one of 10 siblings who grew up at Ultima, helping his dad train horses with his uncle Tuppy.

“As a kid we’d help train the horses out on the roads.  It was a lot of fun and there are lots of fond memories.  I love getting back into the area.”

Kowalski Analysis has recorded eight wins and 14 placings from his 33 starts, amassing $153,000 in stakes. At his best, the now six-year-old matched it at the Group One level, and did so during 2021, finishing third in the Chariots of Fire in February of that year.

The horse, who became seriously ill after his Chariots of Fire campaign, had his first run back from another spell in last weekend’s Mt Gambier Cup, finishing second.

“He’s not at his very best yet, but I couldn’t have been happier with his trackwork this week,” Lewis said.

“The horse got fairly crook the last time he was in, so we’ve just taken him along slowly and he seems okay this preparation.”

In addition to Kowalski Analysis (eight wins, including the Stawell Cup), Lewis has trained such handy horses over the years as Abettorpunt (23 wins) and Amajorjo (19 wins).

Although he has trained teams of up to 10 or 12 in the past, Lewis placed many of his horses with the Craven family in recent years.

He said after selling Hamilton’s Grand Central Hotel after 31 years, he was “more-or-less retired” and decided to go full time with horses for the first time.

“The numbers have increased a bit and I’m now doing seven, but I’m enjoying it,” he said.

Kowalski Analysis has the services of in-form reinswoman Jackie Barker in the Ouyen Cup. Others who will have admirers will include I’m Blingin It, Jaxon Beach, Hanging Fire, Major Meister and All Da Rage.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink