30 minutes never to forget
It was an unbelievable 30 minutes for local harness racing horseman Bernie Hewitt at Bathurst tonight.
After celebrating the success of his pacer Ripp winning the Gold Chalice Final giving his son Doug his first Group 1 winner in the gig, Hewitt replicated the level of success half-an-hour later.
Hewitt made it back-to-back Group 1 wins when taking out the $110,000 Gold Tiara Final with Jewel Melody.
“We’ve won a few Group 1s over the years but to get two Group 1s on the same night is great,” said Hewitt.
Despite drawing outside the second row in the feature, Jewel Melody was one of the fancies after her strong heat win last Wednesday week.
And the daughter of Captaintreacherous had to produce that strength again tonight.
Hewitt made an early move around the field and parked Jewel Melody outside the leader, the race favourite Treasure Stride.
The early pace was solid with the first quarter run in 27.6 seconds.
The two-year-old fillies then ran the next three quarters in 30.0, 28.3 and 31.2 seconds.
Jewel Meldoy found the lead around the home turn and fought off a late challenge by outsider Eve Crocker to win by a half-head in a mile rate of 1:56.7.
“She had to dig deep,” said Hewitt.
“There was a bit of trouble in the home straight the first time and I had to check her off pretty hard and make my move then.”
Raced by Wayne and Julie Loader, who also own Ripp, Jewel Melody will now be prepared for the Australian Pacing Gold and a winter campaign in Queensland.
Tonight’s success gives her a record of two wins and three placings in five starts.
To view the results from Bathurst on Friday click here.
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