Bathurst trainer Bernie Hewitt is on track for his most successful harness racing season this decade after a treble at Parkes on Wednesday night lifted him to 60 wins.
As he steered both Little Bit Dusty ($3) and Taylors Mill ($8) to victory and Amy Rees got the job done for him aboard Lifes A Jungle ($4.60), Hewitt moved up to fourth spot on the Harness Racing NSW trainers’ premiership list.
He is on track to not only better his 69 wins from last season, but better the mark of 89 victors in 2015-14.
As well as having trained 60 winners as of Thursday morning – including College Chapel in last month’s Group 1 Bathurst Gold Crown final – Hewitt has enjoyed 46 runner-up finishes and 52 third placings.
Hewitt’s effort aboard two-year-old filly Taylors Mill was arguably the highlight of his treble at Parkes given it was her maiden win.
She showed gate speed to take the lead from barrier three and wasn’t headed in a 3.6m win recorded in a mile rate of 2:02:1.
Dubbo trainer Barry Lew finished the meet with a pair of placings following Karloo Threeothree’s second-placed finish in the Terry Brothers Carpet Court Pace (2040m) while the returning Ben Twofifty finished third in the Harness Breeders NSW Bonus Scheme Three Year Old Pace (2040m).
By Anya Whitelaw