Hewitts pinning Tiara hopes on Lather Up filly

New South Wales father-and-son harness racing team of David and Brad Hewitt appear to have unearthed another exceptional powerhouse juvenile.

Two-year-old bay filly Sparkling Sea (Lather Up) posted a sensational win on debut in the second heat of the Gold Tiara at Bathurst on Wednesday night (March 19).

Reinsman Brad Hewitt signalled his intentions early and drove the imposing and beautifully-gaited filly with a ton of confidence.

He landed in the one-out and one-back position soon after the start, but when there was some chopping and changing by Capture Our Heart (Jackson Painting) and Smooth Jessie (Amanda Turnbull), he elected to stride to the death-seat.

Sparkling Sea was supremely comfortable with quarters of 28.1 and 30.5, but Hewitt upped the ante on the leader Capture Our Heart from the 800-metre mark. The pair went stride for stride on the corner, clearing away from their rivals, with Sparkling Sea doing best in the run to the finish line to win by 5.8 metres, with Swift Code a further 21 metres back in third spot.

Check the results and replays here: https://www.harness.au/racing/2025-03-19/bathurst/N/meeting

It was a shot over the bows of Gold Tiara aspirants – Sparkling Sea is clearly primed for the Hewitt team’s bid to go back-to-back in the prestigious $150,000 Group One, after completely dominating the series last year with Bittersweet (Captaintreacherous).

Sparkling Sea is out of the Somebeachsomewhere mare, Serene Sea.  A winner of one race and two placings from 11 race starts, Serene Sea is proving her value in the broodmare barn.

Her first foal was Extreme Sea (Well Said) which has won seven of 10 starts with two placings, for over $200K in stakes.

Extreme Sea last season won Listed Classic events such as the Riverina Championships, TAB Regional Championship and the TAB Regional Final.

Lather Up, who stands at Woodlands Stud, had his first Australian progeny hit the track in 2024.

From 27 starters, he has 10 individual winners, including the super impressive 3yo Calexico, who has put together a string of five straight wins this season.

Lather Up was a winner of 23 races and $1.7M in stakes, and regarded as one of the greatest racehorses of his time. During a brilliant career, he smashed two world records and seven track records.

Renowned for his blistering speed, he became the fastest four-year-old in history, the equal fastest over a mile (a record since broken) and the fastest over a mile and one eighth. His pedigree combines two of the greatest-ever producing sires Down Under in Bettors Delight and In The Pocket, but they are far enough removed to be able to be bred to almost all mares across Australasia.

Seven Gold Tiara heats were conducted and the mile rate of 1.53-8 by Sparkling Sea (last half 55.7) was clearly the fastest.

The Bathurst Gold Crown Carnival continues tonight with seven qualifying heats for the $150,000 Bathurst Gold Crown for 2yo Colts and Geldings, as well as two qualifying heats of the Gold Crown Graduate (4yo entires and geldings).

Next Monday afternoon (March 24) is three-year-old day, with the running of the Gold Chalice (colts and geldings) and Gold Bracelet (fillies) qualifying heats. The spotlight then shines brightly on finals night Saturday week (March 29) where stake money totalling $630,000 is on offer.

The barrier draw for the Gold Tiara Final is:

1-Discernment. 2-Capture Our Heart. 3-Wat On Earth. 4-Sparkling Sea. 5-Fake Friends. 6-Worth Every Cent (1E). 7-Myras Mint. 8-Ripples. 9-Captain Jazz. 10-Kalypso Rainbow. 11-Where’s My Reason (2E). 12-Willows Girl.

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink