The forgotten horse in Ballarat Cup

Ballarat pacer Demon Delight has the credentials to be a surprise packet of harness racing’s TAB Summer of Glory carnival.

He launches in the Group 1 $110,000 PETstock Ballarat Pacing Cup on Saturday night in many ways as a forgotten horse. Click here to view fields.

Most of the focus is understandably on the likes of Cup favourite Lochinvar Art, but only a few seasons ago the Emma Stewart-trained Demon Delight was one of the rising stars of Australian harness racing.

He was right up with the best of his age as a three-year-old and early four-year-old, enjoying some great tussles with the likes of Lochinvar Art and another fellow Ballarat Cup runner, Max Delight, and on occasions having the better of them.

The then colt set a world record over 2400m for pacers in a New South Wales Derby heat at Menangle in March 2019 and a year later was a close fourth to Lochinvar Art in the Chariots of Fire.

The big time was begging.

Unfortunately, he required leg surgery after winning the Group 2 Melton Plate two starts after the Chariots Of Fire and would be not be seen again on the racetrack for more than 18 months.

He returned in the care of Terang trainer Matt Craven in a free-for-all at Melton on November 27 last year and finished sixth, then a week later was eighth at the same track but only 10 metres off the winner, Cranbourne Cup champ Supreme Dominator.

When Demon Delight next appeared in the Bendigo Pacing Cup on January 8 he was back in the Cardigan stable of Emma Stewart.

He managed fourth to Spirit Of St Louis – more than enough to encourage Stewart and his owners Russell and Pam Hockham that the son of Bettors Delight was ready to target the Group 1 Del-Re National A. G. Hunter Cup, with his home-town Ballarat Pacing Cup a stepping stone.

Pam Hockham was excited about what might be ahead for Demon Delight, detailing the plan was always for Craven to get him up and going before he went back to Stewart.

“Emma and Clayton are always so busy with a big team as well as bringing on youngsters,” she said.

“So we had Matt get him back. He takes his horses to the beach and we thought it was a good fit.”

Hockham said they had taken the same approach with former open class pacer Shadow Sax some time ago and decided to go down the same path.

“We’re hoping he can now get back to what he showed as a youngster. He ran a terrific race at Bendigo. We were rapt with the run. He’ll get better every time he goes around now.”

Hockham said she was not suprised Demon Delight was basically being ignored by many as a contender in Ballarat.

“It’s a fantastic field and, yes, for many, he is a forgotten horse after so long off.”

Having drawn barrier five and with plenty of gate speed on his inside, Jodi Quinlan is likely to drive him conservatively early and try to find a midfield spot in what is the horse’s second tilt at a Ballarat Cup.

He had his second start as a four-year-old in the race when eighth to AG White Socks. Could it be second time lucky for Demon Delight and give Emma Stewart her third hometown cup after victories with the great Safari in 2008 and Restrepo in 2014?

And for the Hockhams? Well it has already been a big 12 months in sport.

They are diehard AFL Melbourne Demons fans, in normal times rarely missing a game – even travelling interstate. Many of their horses have names with a Demons theme and they are still getting over the heartache of not being able to attend Melbourne’s grand final victory in Perth.

While not there, that day truly was a Demon Delight. Will there be another at Bray Raceway on Saturday night?

By David Brehaut for HRV