Terry hoping Kowalski can deliver an elusive success

Sixth time lucky.

Horsham Harness Racing Club president Terry Lewis is hoping he is just that in Sunday’s Group 3 $60,000 The Weekly Advertiser Horsham Pacing Cup (2700m).

Kowalski Analysis (Roll With Joe) will be his sixth starter in his hometown feature, and hopefully his first winner.

Produceatross started the journey in 2000 and has been followed by Frosty Bulldog (2003), Master of Disguise (2010) and Abettorpunt twice in 2014 and 2016.

While Abettorpunt has arguably been the best credentialled of his runners to date, Lewis considers Frosty Bulldog to have been his best chance.

“He was going really well at the time,” he said.

“He was looking a real chance in the run, but was knocked over and that was it.”

Lewis is expecting Kowalski Analysis to be more than competitive despite facing the might of the Emma Stewart stable.

Stewart has four of the 10 starters – Cant Top This, Major Moth, Idyllic and Like A Wildfire – in a race she has dominated in the past decade with Philadelphia Man (2015), Major Secret (2017), Shadow Sax (2018), Mach Dan (2021) and Our Millionaire (2022).

There is no question getting a victory would be a special moment for Lewis, who has made Horsham his home for the past 42 years.

He grew up around horses on a farm at Ultima in the Mallee – one of five brothers that caught the harness racing bug from their father David, who was a hobby trainer and driver.

Lewis bred and races Kowalski Analysis with his Hamilton-based brother David – who also trains the six-year-old – and long-time racing associate Wayne Krause.

Kowalski Analysis looked to have the racing world at his feet when third in the Chariots of Fire two years ago. However, it has been a rocky road since and the son of Roll With Joe has only had another 12 starts.

It has been this preparation that has Kowalski Analysis really knuckled down, with his three wins including the Stawell Pacing Cup in mid-December.

Another cup success in Horsham would cap it off.

“He’s come back great,” Lewis said.

“His Stawell and Hamilton Cup runs have been good.

“There were a few challenges going into his latest start (when sixth at Melton), but he’s all over that.

“I expect him to run a good race.”

Despite having won many feature races, it would be no surprise to see Lewis a little nervous leading up to this assignment given what it means to him.

However, he says he doesn’t think he will have time to allow any nerves to set in.

Lewis, his brother David and reinsman Glen Craven are flying to Sydney on Saturday, where they have the Paddy Lee-trained Isthisjustfantasy contesting the Group 1 $200,000 New South Wales Oaks Final.

Then it will be an early flight out on Sunday to get back to Horsham.

When he is on-track back home, Lewis will have all the duties which go with being club president on Cup Day, including hosting Harness Racing Victoria chairman Dale Monteith and HRV’s new chief executive officer Matthew Isaacs.

That will be more than enough to keep his mind on other things until the starter says go in the Cup.

Horsham Cup Day will feature 10 races, with the first at 12.01pm.

For complete race entries, click here.

by David Brehaut, for Harness Racing Victoria