When the judge's numbers went up after the running of the 2019 Canola Cup at Eugowra on Monday, Wagga Wagga harness racing trainer-driver David Druitt admitted he was quite relived.
"I thought I'd been beaten for sure. When it was announced it was a dead-heat, I was happy to take that!" Druitt said.
"There was a few of us spread across the track right on the line. Even Scott (Hewitt) who drove the other horse in the dead-heat wasn't sure – he actually thought we'd both got pipped by the horse who got up the inside," he said.
The judge was unable to split Major Comment (David Druitt) and Redbank Cooper (Scott Hewitt) in the Lexus of Parramatta Canola Cup G3 final, of $30,600, with third placing Hurricane Roy (David Hewitt) a breath away.
According to locals, the feature event was without doubt one of the most thrilling seen at Eugowra for a long, long time.
Finishes don’t come much closer than this. Major Comment (David Druitt)second off the fence and Redbank Cooper (Scott Hewitt) three wide, dead-heated in the Eugowra Canola Cup this week
Qualifying heats were held nine days earlier and the top chances figured prominently in the final – the first of the very popular TAB Carnival of Cups series held in country NSW.
"We decided to buy into the ownership of Major Comment because we thought he was a promising type," Druitt said.
"I saw him compete in a race at Shepparton a few months ago and he did a fantastic job in what was a very hot three-year-old field," he said.
"We spoke to Rita Burnett (of Kilmore) who was training the horse and it just went from there. We ended up coming to a half-share agreement."
Druitt said Major Comment (Major Bronski-Why Comment (Dream Away) had already been a great money-spinner with wins at Cobram and Eugowra, prior to the dead-heat.
"I was on the lookout for something that would be suitable for the $1 million series coming up throughout New South Wales. I think Major Comment fits the bill nicely going on his recent form," he said.
"The horse is close to 17 hands high, but he gets around little tracks without a problem. He goes clean and is very tractable.
"I love competing at Eugowra, but it's 800m with very little banking. It can be a little unforgiving and it only suits those who are good clean goers.
"I've also found that it can be an ideal yardstick to whether you have a reasonable horse or not because the Canola Cup is one of the hardest races to win. If you're thinking you might have a nice Group horse, it's a good indicator."
Druitt, who has lived in the Riverina region all his life, said his two previous Cup attempts saw a third and a fifth in the rich finals.
"I'll keep going up there each year if I have the right horse-it's an easy three-hour drive from our place," he said.
Druitt said his harness racing career started around 1969 when as a youngster he began helping with training.
"I got my licence in the early 70s and it's been good. Over the last two seasons we've aimed to get around 25 winners each time and have managed to achieve that," he said.
Terry Gange
NewsAlert PR Mildura